FIO Bird Illustration Competition 2027

The FIO Bird Illustration Competition is a new, free international contest for artists who draw and paint birds. It is organised as part of the 22nd Extremadura Birdwatching Fair (FIO), one of Europe's main birdwatching events, held in Spain's Monfragüe National Park. Three adult categories each carry a €800 prize, and a category for young illustrators aged 12 to 18 wins illustration materials. The deadline is 8 January 2027 at 23:59 CET.

For its first edition, the theme is simply "Birds": local species, migratory birds or any species of ornithological interest, as long as the essential features of the bird are represented faithfully.

Categories

• Scientific Illustration (F1): accurate, educational work explaining anatomy, identification, behaviour, diet or life cycles. Diagrams, sequences, enlarged details and cross-sections are welcome.
• Naturalist Illustration (F2): birds in their natural habitat, with careful observation of plumage, posture, proportions and behaviour.
• Conceptual Illustration (F3): freer, more abstract or conceptual interpretations of birds.
• Young Illustrators (F4): for artists aged 12 to 18, the only category open to under-18s.

Adults may enter several categories, with a different illustration in each, but only one work per category.

Who Can Enter the Bird Illustration Competition?

Illustrators and amateur artists aged 12 and over, of any nationality and from any country. It suits:

• Scientific and natural history illustrators
• Wildlife artists working in watercolour, gouache, pencil or digital media
• Illustrators interested in conservation themes
• Young artists who love birds

Organisers, sponsors and companies involved in running the competition cannot take part.

Entry Fee

Entry is free.

Prizes

• Scientific, Naturalist and Conceptual Illustration: €800 each
• Young Illustrators: an illustration materials package worth €200
• Special mentions may be awarded by the jury
• Exhibition: twelve works, including winners and finalists, are printed and shown at the Extremadura Birdwatching Fair

Winners who cannot attend the ceremony are asked to send a short video presenting their work.

Submission Requirements

Submit through the entry form on the FIO website. Works can be traditional or digital, prepared at A3 size (420 × 297 mm) in RGB, and uploaded as a JPG of up to 5 MB; traditional works must be scanned. The artwork must not include signatures, initials or any text. Add a description of up to 200 characters, in English or Spanish, explaining the work and its scientific, educational or cultural value.

File names follow strict rules: start with the category code (F1 to F4), followed by a short title or pseudonym, with underscores instead of spaces and no accents or special characters, for example F3_Martin_with_fish. Never include your own name, because judging is anonymous. Finalists will later be asked for a high-resolution A2 file at 300 dpi in CMYK.

Judging Criteria

The jury, made up of illustrators, organisers and ornithology professionals, looks at scientific accuracy (especially in F1), artistic quality, originality and the work's ability to raise awareness of protecting birds and their habitats. Works must be original, unpublished and not entered in another competition. Any artwork created or assisted by artificial intelligence is disqualified.

Tips for Entering

Choose your category carefully: a beautiful but loosely observed bird will struggle in the scientific category, while a highly technical plate may feel too literal in the conceptual one. Work from your own field sketches and photographs where possible; accurate details such as feather groups, bill shape and leg colour are what ornithologists on the jury will notice first. Keep the composition readable at screen size, since the first round is judged online.

Rights

Artists keep their copyright. The Extremadura tourism authority keeps a copy of the winning works and may use them, non-commercially, to promote the competition and the fair, always with the artist's name.

Things to Consider

• Free entry, one work per category.
• No text or signatures on the artwork.
• No AI at any stage.
• Deadline: 8 January 2027.

Enter the Competition

Ready to share your bird artwork?

Enter the FIO Bird Illustration Competition

The full rules, in English and Spanish, and the entry form are on the official FIO website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 2, 2026