In the age of artificial intelligence, the question of whether a photograph is real or computer-generated has become more relevant, especially in fields like wildlife photography. Chloé Pang, a spokesperson for the Swiss Ornithological Station, explained how the station handles its annual photo competition. After announcing the winners of the 2026 edition, the station shared details on how the jury evaluates the entries. According to Pang, very few AI-generated images were submitted in 2026, likely because participants know that such images are unlikely to pass the expert jury's scrutiny. When the photos arrive, the team reviews them to check for signs of artificiality or excessive editing. Photographers are allowed to retouch their images, such as adjusting brightness, but only within certain limits. Each entry must include both the original and the edited version of the photo. The jury doesn't just look at technical quality; they also consider how difficult it was to capture the behavior of the species in the photo. The image must have been taken in an ethical way, without disturbing the wildlife, though this isn't always possible. Photos that appear overly staged or where there's suspicion that the photographer caused stress or disturbance to the birds are excluded. Some photographers use unconventional methods, such as knocking on tree trunks to encourage owls to come out, according to Pang. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in photographers from Eastern European countries participating in and winning the competition. In 2026, six of the 13 winning photos were taken by Polish naturalists. Pang believes this may be partly due to the presence of ideal birdwatching locations in countries with less urbanization compared to Western Europe. Hungary, for instance, has large natural lakes that lie along important migration routes. For Poland, the Białowieża Forest, a rare example of a primary forest, may have contributed to a heightened sensitivity to nature and a growing interest in photography among Poles. The 2026 grand prize-winning photo shows a goldeneye diving at the surface of a water body. Pang's personal favorite is a photo of a wood pigeon swallowing berries, which she describes as looking like a Renaissance painting with a still life.