The "Water birds in Vietnam" photo contest was held in the city on Saturday, and prizes were given out on the same day.
Le Duc Hien's photo, which won the first prize, captured two crane species, the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) and the Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), at Xuan Thuy National Park in the northern province of Nam Dinh.
The Eurasian spoonbill migrates to Southeast Asian regions in the winter, while the black-faced spoonbill reproduces in Eastern Asia and then migrates in large numbers to Southeast Asia.
The black-faced spoonbill is considered endangered, with a global population of around 4,000. Every year, they migrate to high-tide areas in the Red River Delta.
"Into Life," a photo by Nguyen Van Thanh, won second prize at the competition. It depicts a young grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) on the coast of Can Thanh Town in HCMC's rural Can Gio District.
The little grebe is often spotted at freshwater lakes. They live in pairs and are good at diving.
The photo "Life Force" by Vu Minh Tuan, which also won second prize at the HCMC contest, depicts a bronze-winged jacana (Metopidius indicus). The bird is commonly seen at Tram Chim National Park in the Mekong Delta's Dong Thap Province.
"Fly to a Faraway Place," a photo by Dang Ngoc Sam that won third prize, depicts a Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) at Ba Be Lake in the northern province of Bac Kan.
While water birds living in the northern hemisphere often migrate to the south from October to April, the Mandarin duck rarely migrates to Vietnam, and only a few have been spotted at Ba Be Lake during the winter.
The "Spoon-Billed Sandpiper" photo by Nguyen Manh Hiep, which won third prize, depicts the eponymous bird. The species (Calidris pygmaea) is considered to be critically endangered, with only a few hundred left in the entire world.
Only a few individuals have been seen migrating to Vietnam every year. Their existence is threatened by hunting and the loss of habitat.
The photo "Gull" by Nguyen Quoc Toan, which won third prize, was taken at the Rach Gia sea region in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.
The photo "Symbiosis" by Nguyen Quynh Dao was taken at the Vung Boi-De Gi sea region in the central Binh Dinh Province. The image captures an encounter between a flock of bridled terns (Onychoprion anaethetus) and a Bryde's whale. The terns wait to go hunting after the whale devours fish first.
"By the Beach Morning Glory," a photo by Truong Huynh Son, depicts the Pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva) along the coast of Da Nang.
The "Water Birds in Vietnam" photo competition was first organized by Vui Nhiep Anh, a Vietnamese photographers community, and Canon, with the help of Le Bao Minh, who works with Wildtour and BirdLife.
The competition took place April 3 to April 30. Hundreds of submissions by over 70 photographers were received. One first prize, two second prizes and three third prizes were given out.
Over 40 photos by 27 photographers are on display at a showroom at 184 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, HCMC.
The exhibition is open from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. until June 10, except for the weekends. Entry is free.