2026 Feathered Families Art and Photo Gallery

Acorn Woodpeckers by Teresa Cheng

Celebrate 2026 breeding birds by contributing to the Feathered Families Art and Photo Gallery!

Inspired by California's first statewide bird atlas - a five-year project launched on January 1st - SCVBA’s Feathered Families Gallery will be focused on birds exhibiting all phases of breeding behavior including:

  • courtship, display or copulation

  • carrying nesting material

  • building nests

  • occupying nests

  • carrying food

  • feeding young

  • carrying fecal sacs

  • fledgling behavior

Participants’ photos and art will be featured in an Internet gallery publicized by SCVBA, allowing many others to appreciate and enjoy your work.

SCVBA is a founding sponsor of the California Bird Atlas. For more information see https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/

To participate in Feathered Families:

  • All photos or artwork should depict breeding birds taken or created in California during 2026.

  • Each individual may submit up to ten photos or photos of artwork in jpeg format to photos@scvbirdalliance.org. Please include the bird species, county where each image was taken (for photos only), and artist/photographer name to be used for credits.

  • Files will be accepted from September 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026. Submit early for a chance to be featured in SCVBA Facebook posts or Instagram photo carousels.

  • The Feathered Families Gallery will be published in late October.

  • Note that there is no official connection between the Feathered Families Gallery and the California Bird Atlas. If desired, photos are submitted to FFG and CBA independently.

All participants are expected to adhere to Audubon's Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography:

https://www.audubon.org/get-outside/audubons-guide-ethical-bird-photography

Mallards by Teresa Cheng

By submitting your work to us, you are certifying that you have met these ethical standards in the creation of the work.

Photos may contain unobtrusive watermarks as long as they are not located in the lower left-hand corner since that area is reserved for text, including species name and photo credits. For an example of a previous gallery, see 2024 Summer Birding Challenge: July Juveniles.

Images will become part of the SCVBA photo archive and may be used in SCVBA's communications materials which include our website, social media, newsletters, presentations, and reports. Photo credits will be given.

Banner Photo Credit: Red-necked Phalaropes by Jeremy Frank