Birds stock photos and royalty free images

Finding images with birds on Shutterstock is easy. First, you can simply scroll down to explore our curated collection of bird images. We've picked some of our favorite images from multiple categories, like photos, vectors, icons, cartoons, and logos. If you'd like to search for something more specific, go to the top of this page and type your search term into the field labeled "Search for images," then click the magnifying glass. When you get your results, you can begin filtering them by size, orientation, type, and even color scheme. If you already have an image, and you'd like to find a similar one, simply click "search by image" on the right side of the page. Upload your image, and Shutterstock's search by image will return images that are similar in composition.

Popular images with birds include parrots, turkeys, cardinals, and kiwis. Each of these birds has a different cultural personality around the world, so they appear often in branding and marketing designs. Parrots are famous for their brilliant colors and their ability to mimic human speech. We've seen them in everything from cartoons to big screen movies, in cages and on pirates' shoulders. Turkeys symbolize Thanksgiving where it's celebrated, reminding us of family gatherings. Cardinals are among the most popular bird mascots, so we see them in many varieties in all sorts of designs. Kiwis are popular for their unique appearance and homeland, and they've been used for everything from brand logos to advertising icons.

Good bird photos rely on a bird's most striking feature: its plumage. Birds come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, but each species has unique coloring that makes it instantly recognizable. These colors and patterns are natural design elements, so photographers who can capture this create a striking balance between the natural world and the patterns that people look for in the art we create. Birds in flight are particularly compelling because they combine the two most interesting aspects of a bird: its coloring and the fact that it can fly. When you're searching for bird photos, look for those photos that leave plenty of space for the bird in the image. If the image is too cluttered, then the bird can disappear into the background, so look for simple, clean images that speak for themselves.

Taking good photos of birds presents the same challenges as taking photos of other animals, pets, or children: they won't always sit still. The sharp contrasts in birds' plumage means that the focus should be crisp, and that requires the bird to be still long enough for the photographer. If the bird is in flight, the photographer must make adjustments to exposure times and shutter speeds — all of this can happen very quickly, so it requires a lot of precision and a steady hand. Often, birds won't allow photographers to get very close, so specialized lenses are necessary. This is why a good bird photo is worth its weight in gold! Equipment, experience, and luck must all come together in a perfect moment to capture the perfect photo.

The best time to photograph birds is either early in the morning or in the afternoon. Both of these times correspond with birds' active periods. The morning is a particularly good time to photograph birds because adult birds will be hunting for food for both themselves and their offspring. The dramatic lighting that occurs during "blue hour," just before the sun rises, can result in truly impressive photos. In the afternoon, the natural lighting will be a bit more evenly distributed, making this the perfect time for more straightforward photos of birds that highlight their natural features without the dramatic use of light. Whichever time you choose, patience will be important, as you'll need to wait for the birds to come within sight without disturbing them.