I love getting shots of birds with sparks of light in their eyes! This factor makes them look incredibly personable and helps the picture look like a portrait.

When I looked up information about this, I learned that this specific kind of lighting is called a “catchlight” (or also “catch light”). Catchlights are predominantly used in portrait photography for added effect.

My best bird photos are a product of luck, blessings, and sunny weather. Bird photography is unpredictable, which is simultaneously its most frustrating and exciting aspect. I’m grateful that I’ve gotten shots with catchlights in their eyes despite that unpredictability.

For this blog post, I looked at some of my favorite bird pictures and analyzed how the catchlight in their eyes impacted the overall image.

A male American robin perched on a branch and facing the setting sun, a streak of light illuminating his brown eye.
A serene American robin looking towards the setting sun at Inniswood Metro Gardens

Shedding Light on the Subject

I love spending time with the birds I photograph (that is, being in their presence without annoying them). Building trust and familiarity with them is vitally important for my birding ethics. It also helps create candid photos!

“Smiling” Female House Finch

A female house sparrow on a twig, seemingly smiling at the camera.
A gentle, “smiling” female house finch outside our backyard

This female house finch saw me photographing her one sunny November ’24 morning. After munching on what looked like dried seeds on this twig, she seemed to pause, tilting her head endearingly. The morning sun shone bright in her brown eye, and together with her pose, it made her look like she was smiling at me.

It helps that the house finches in our neighborhood are gregarious birdies. While the bluebirds are the friendliest of all our birds, house finches follow closely behind with their own reciprocal curiosity.

We’re lucky that the morning sun rises high over our neighborhood, illuminating the birds with plenty of light. This charming ladybird was in a great spot to absorb that sunlight!

Before and After: Female House Sparrow with Two “Faces”

A female house sparrow on a chain-link fence, looking utterly unimpressed.
An unimpressed female house sparrow…
A female house sparrow on a chain-link fence, looking endearingly curious.
…and then, a sweetly curious expression

One of the best camera features for bird photography is “burst mode” (also known as “continuous shooting mode”). This lets you take multiple shots in a few seconds, creating the possibility of dynamically different moments back-to-back.

This female house sparrow was with her fellow sparrows at the baseball fields in our neighborhood when she saw me walking by. Female sparrows are unusually bold birdies, especially compared to the males, and this one was no exception. She hopped on top of this chainlink fence to get a better look at me.

The handful of burst shots I got gave me two vastly different “expressions”. In the first one, she looked sorely unimpressed. But in the second, she seemed so curious and friendly.

That spark of light in her eye was a grand improvement over the first shot! It helped her personality shine and created a sweet portrait.

Female house sparrows show an exceptional level of awareness towards me and my camera. This gal seemed to revel in the brief spotlight I gave her that evening.

Sam Jr.’s Morning Portrait

A young song sparrow on a twig, looking calm.A bold song sparrow looking at the camera while perched on a twig.

I’m closest with the song sparrows in our neighborhood. They love an audience, and I love hearing them sing up close! We have a mutually beneficial relationship.

This is a fun side-by-side portrait of Sam Jr., the son of Sam, my favorite song sparrow. I can recognize Sam Jr. by his song, which is similar to his father’s but with notable differences. Sam Jr. was even bolder than his father, coming across as if he were outright demanding my attention when he saw me with my camera.

One March ’25 morning, he leapt onto a twig in front of me near our backyard and sang to get my attention. Sam Jr. then paused, letting me get these lucky pictures, separated by just one second.

It amazes me how, in any kind of portraiture, different glances from the subject can produce vastly different results. With the catchlight and firm look he gave me, Sam Jr. looked like he’d come prepared for a studio session.

Capturing the Light

These wonderful birds have a penchant for posing just right. And after looking at the images I selected for this blog post, I’m reminded of how fortunate we are to live in a neighborhood with trees and other habitats woven in.

I have reason to believe that the neighborhood birds know they’re my favorite photo subjects and will position themselves accordingly so the sunlight makes them radiant. Even the red-winged blackbirds, who, despite their scornful nature, will sometimes pause to observe me in contemplative silence.

A male red-winged blackbird looking quietly at the camera.
A heartwarmingly rare photo of a red-winged blackbird not shouting “Check!” at me

All Images by Connor Brennan

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