Black Stilt (NZ endemic)

Endemic to New Zealand and with 150 individuals remaining, the Black Stilt is the rarest shorebird on Earth. Their population has been decimated by introduced mammals, and all surviving birds sport color-coded legs bands so researchers can identify and monitor them. I don't usually photograph banded birds because I don't want any human elements in my frame, but the bands tell an important conservation story in this instance. I achieved the gold background by wading into chest-deep water and shooting towards the dry hillsides surrounding Lake Pukaki. The water was hella cold, but it was totally worth it!

Lake Pukaki, Canterbury, New Zealand, 3/2/19
Canon 600mm f/4 IS II on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/2500 at f/5.6, ISO 800