‘Aviary’ Explores the Beautiful, Symbiotic Relationship Between Humans and Birds

As the days grow shorter and colder in the Northern Hemisphere, billions of birds are migrating south. Their routes, habitats, food sources, and behavior are incredibly varied. From distinctive plumage to sleeping habits to intimate connections, the world of avians is as about as expansive and awe-inspiring as it gets.

More than 11,000 species have been formally documented around the world, but there may be upwards of 20,000 depending on how they’re recorded. And through the eyes of fine art photographers, we’re afforded a stunning look into this unique world. A new book, Aviary: The Bird in Contemporary Photography, celebrates feathers and flight.

a photographic portrait of two ravens with their heads close together — Christine Ward, “Connection” (2023). © Christine Ward

Published by Thames & Hudson, Aviary features the work of more than 50 international photographers. Colossal readers may recognize images by Joseph McGlennon, Søren Solkær, Tim Flach, Leila Jeffreys, and many more, all of whom approach their subjects with an eye for atmosphere and individual personalities.

Christine Ward’s “Connection,” for example, is an eminently relatable moment between two ravens. In Jeffreys’ portrait of an owl, we can imagine being given the side-eye, as if it knows more than it’s letting on, and the dangling songbird in Kimberly Witham’s “Still Life with Goldfinch, Bleeding Heart and Tulip” evokes a distinct sense of humor.

More than simply a catalogue of different species, the volume highlights vibrant and artistic portraits, landscapes, and candid moments that glimpse “our complex relationship with birds, questioning how we observe them and respond to their presence—and vice versa,” the publisher says.

Find your copy in the Colossal Shop.

a photo portrait of a bird hanging upside down on a tulip stem next to another flower in a small white vase — Kimberly Witham, “Still Life with Goldfinch, Bleeding Heart and Tulip” (2011). From the series ‘Wunderkammer.’ © Kimberly Witham

a photographic portrait of an owl — Leila Jeffreys, “Duke No. 1.” Eastern Grass Owl, From the series ‘Prey.’ © Leila Jeffreys

a photograph of a number of pink flamingoes lined up in a mirror-smooth body of water, reflecting a blue sky with clouds — Junji Takasago, “Heavenly Flamingos” (2019), Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia. © Junji Takasago

a photographic portrait of a tropical bird in mid-flight against a gray sky — Mark Harvey, “Goldfinch” (2020). From the series ‘In Flight.’ © Mark Harvey

a photographic portrait of a parakeet — Joseph McGlennon,, “Pollen I” (2021). © Joseph McGlennon

a photograph of a turquoise-colored bird as it dives into the water, caught just at the moment that its beak hits the surface — Mario Cea, “The Blue Trail” (2015). © Mario Cea

a photograph of two large black-and-white birds in a snowy landscape, fighting or moving around each other dramatically — Alan Walker, Untitled (2018). From the series ‘The Courtship of the Red-crowned Cranes.’ © Alan Walker

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