The Greek photographer Nikos Fokas won the first prize on the photo contest «Handbook of the Birds of the World World Bird Photo Contest». The fist prize is a full set of HBW and a complete Swarovski Optik digiscoping kit of total value 6,800 €.

Lynx Edicions, publisher of the Handbook of the Birds of the World and theInternet Bird Collection, together with the sponsors Avistar and Swarovski Optik launched the Second Edition of the HBW World Bird Photo Contest, widely regarded as one of the most important bird photography competition at world level.

The contest aims to encourage and disseminate knowledge about birds, while at the same time inspiring creativity in the art of photography. To these ends, its focus is on photography that is ethical, grounded in the utmost respect for the conservation of birds and their habitats, and without unnecessary digital manipulation.

His photograph captures an incredibly fast-moving swift diving to the surface of the water, bill wide open to capture floating insects.