When photographer Santiago Pérez Rincón was in Tolima, Colombia, for a wedding, he took the opportunity to visit the natural valley in the region of Cañón del Río Anaime.
Rincón then shot an image that will later be referred to as an eye-opening capture, showcasing an endangered Yellow-eared Parrot whose survival depends on the wax palm. Now the image has been recognized in the Conservation category at the Audubon Photography Awards.
"Some of the country’s last wax palm forests survive here, even as multinational corporations continue clearing these ecosystems to make way for monocultures of Hass avocado crops," Rincón explains to Audubon magazine. With a local guide, he was able to spot a Yellow-eared Parrot.
Rincón continues, "I hope this image of the bird and palm surrounded by crops conveys a message of vigilance: Thanks to the tireless efforts of environmental advocates, the species was saved from near extinction – but if avocado plantations keep encroaching, the parrot’s story of recovery could take a turn for the worse," he explains.
Winner: Conservation
Contest: Chile and Colombia
Species: Yellow-eared Parrot
Location: Cañón del Río Anaime, Tolima, Colombia
Gear: Sony A7 IV + Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
Exposure: 1/800 sec, f/5.6; ISO 1600
Judge’s Take (Jaír F. Coll)
"This photograph captures the poignant resilience of the Yellow-eared Parrot. The scene contrasts the bird’s solitude with a background dominated by the geometry of monoculture crops, highlighting the fragmentation of the species’ habitat.
"With an impeccable composition, the work is not only aesthetically beautiful but also serves as an urgent invitation to reflect on the pressure that agribusiness exerts on our Andean landscape and its endemic species. "
The Audubon Photography Awards
This is a competition celebrating photographers who use their skills to highlight the beauty, challenges and threats facing birds across Chile, Colombia, Canada and the United States. You can explore all 2026 winning images here.
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