On the morning of May 27, the photo contest “Waterbirds in Vietnam” opened the exhibition and awarded prizes in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the photo are two species of spoonbill – European spoonbill (left) and black-faced spoonbill at Xuan Thuy National Park (Nam Dinh) – by author Le Duc Hien, who won first prize. This is considered a rare and lucky moment in nature when the author captured two different species in one frame. The Black-faced Spoonbill, scientific name Platalea minor , has a light pink-brown bill and dark black facial skin, and is smaller in size than the Eurasian Spoonbill ( Platalea leucorodia ). Eurasian spoonbills breed in the Palearctic region, in winter they can migrate or stray into Southeast Asia, while the black-faced spoonbill breeds in East Asia and migrates to winter in Southeast Asia, the species has highly endangered (EN) with a global population currently estimated at about 4,000 individuals. Every year, they migrate to tidal areas in the Red River Delta (Xuan Thuy Nature Reserve, Thai Binh estuary and Nghia Hung coast, Nam Dinh) in small numbers and are urgently needed species. protected.

The work “Into Life” won the second prize by author Nguyen Van Thanh, capturing a young leek in the coastal area of Can Thanh town, Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City.

Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis , is a species of diving bird (Podicipedidae), body length 23-29 cm. This species often appears in freshwater ponds and lakes. At first glance it looks like a duck but is very small in size. Much better and not related to ducks, they often live in pairs and swim and dive very well. The bird has a white ring around the eyes, a small pointed beak, a dark upper body with a gray-brown neck in the non-breeding season, and a white lower body that can only be seen when flying. Young birds can swim immediately after hatching, and the young are often carried on their parents’ backs while foraging.

The work Vitality shared second prize by author Vu Minh Tuan, capturing the Indian Water Pheasant (Bronze-winged Jacana, Metopidius indicus ). This is one of the common bird species in Tram Chim National Park. They often forage in wetlands with vegetation including lotus, water lily or water hyacinth. Thanks to their very long toes, they can walk easily on leaves floating on the water.

The work Flying to a Far Away won the third prize by author Dang Ngoc Sam Thuong, capturing the Mandarin Duck ( Aix galericulata ) at Ba Be Lake, Bac Can.

From October to April every year, waterfowl living in the cold Northern Hemisphere will fly south to winter. This phenomenon repeats over and over again, creating the migratory bird season. including this Mandarin Duck. Although this species is quite common in the world, it rarely migrates to Vietnam. Up to now, it has only been recorded migrating to Ba Be Lake in the winter in small numbers.

The work Turning the beak of a spoon won bronze , third prize by author Nguyen Manh Hiep, taken in Go Cong, Tien Giang.

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper ( Caldris pygmaea ) is the most endangered bird species (IUCN classified CR). It is a very rare migratory waterbird, with only a few hundred individuals remaining in the world and only a few individuals migrating to Vietnam each year. The cause of this situation is due to loss of habitat and hunting and trapping of wild birds.

The third-prize work Seagull by author Nguyen Quoc Toan (stage name Ly Gia Dai), taken in the coastal area of Rach Gia, Kien Giang.

The work Stork Dance was displayed at Le Minh Quoc’s exhibition, capturing the Great Egret, Ardea alba . The image of storks working diligently in the rain and sun is deeply imbued with Vietnamese culture.

The work “Symbiosis” was displayed at the exhibition by author Nguyen Quynh Dao, taken in the coastal area of Vung Boi – De Gi, Binh Dinh. The photo shows a rare moment of two species (Bridled Tern (Bridled Tern, Onychoprion anaethetus ) and Bryde’s Whale; the black-backed tern takes advantage of the whale’s drive to hunt fish. Each time the fish Elephants appearing in Vietnam attract photographers because of their rarity.

The work “Beside the Sea Morning Glory” is displayed at the exhibition by author Truong Huynh Son. Photo of Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva in the coastal area of Da Nang. This is a common migratory bird in coastal areas of Vietnam.

The competition on water birds in Vietnam was organized for the first time by Vui Photography – VNA, Canon – Le Bao Minh in collaboration with Wildtour and BirdLife. The contest took place from April 3 to April 30, receiving hundreds of submitted works from more than 70 authors, of which 160 photos were valid and of good quality. Among these, the council selected and awarded 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, 3 third prizes, displaying more than 40 works from 27 authors.