The shot earned the top prize in the Conservation category at the Audubon Photography Awards<\/a>. It was captured on a bridge camera<\/a> released in 2015, famous for its 83x optical zoom (24-2000mm equivalent).<\/p>\n Latest Videos From \n Nikon’s Coolpix P900 set a seemingly unbeatable benchmark in 2015 with its remarkable 83x optical zoom (Image credit: Nikon)<\/p>\n Image info Tech details You may like<\/p>\n The story behind the shot “For many people who grow rice in this area, fires are a necessary practice for subsistence. However, these burns can also harm air quality and habitat, especially if they aren\u2019t controlled.<\/p>\n “As I watched the flames, I noticed a Savanna Hawk. Attentive and patient, this bird never strayed from the dense smoke and heat; in fact, it returned again and again hoping to hunt disoriented animals fleeing the flames.<\/p>\n “I, on the other hand, eventually had to retreat. Before I left, I captured this visual testimony to one of the many ways that wildlife survives and adapts in the face of extreme environmental conditions.”<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.digitalcameraworld.com\/media\/img\/digitalcameraworld_logo.svg\"){kind=logo}
Winner: Conservation<\/p>\n![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/YPb6dV6XYwarYfH3wToPTM.jpg\")
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Species: Savanna Hawk
Image Location: C\u00facuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia<\/p>\n
Gear: Nikon<\/a> Coolpix P900 with fixed 24-2000mm f\/2.8-6.5 lens
Exposure: 1\/500 second at f\/5.6; ISO 200<\/p>\n
Pe\u00f1a explains, “I was photographing birds in a rural area when I came across this fire, which started as a controlled burn to clear rice crop residues but got out of hand.<\/p>\n