Yi Cao, Bee-eater Attraction (ANIMALS 2026)

I go to Central and Northern part of Victoria each summer during rainbow bee-eater’s breeding season, in order to photograph those beautiful birds coming all the way from Queensland. It was my luck to have captured this image which reflected an impressive moment: the male rainbow bee eater swept toward the female with lively, deliberate energy, his wings spread wide just for her. His approach was confident yet gentle, a clear sign of his interest. The female remained poised on the branch, watching him, while his graceful flight and vibrant plumage express a quiet but unmistakable attraction.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.