Rachel Bigsby Appointed RSPB Ambassador for Seabird Conservation

Award-winning wildlife photographer and seabird specialist Rachel Bigsby has been appointed an Ambassador for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), recognising her contribution to wildlife photography, environmental storytelling and the conservation of Britain's internationally important seabird populations.

The appointment marks a significant milestone in Rachel's career, bringing together her distinctive fine-art approach to wildlife photography with her longstanding commitment to the protection of the natural world.

Having spent more than a decade photographing seabirds across Britain and some of the world's most remote marine environments, Rachel has developed a profound understanding of their extraordinary lives, complex behaviours and increasing vulnerability to environmental change.

Her work is founded upon a belief that photography can achieve far more than documenting the appearance of wildlife. Through artistry, observation and storytelling, she seeks to inspire an emotional connection between audiences and species they may never otherwise encounter.

The RSPB ambassadorship provides an opportunity to extend that philosophy into a wider programme of conservation communication, education and public engagement.

‘Fish Flight’, an early courtship behaviour of Arctic Terns, captured by Rachel Bigsby.

Recognition from the RSPB

Announcing the appointment, RSPB Chief Executive Beccy Speight welcomed Rachel's distinctive approach to wildlife photography and its ability to encourage a deeper connection with nature. Speight praised Rachel's abstract-inspired imagery and its capacity to invite audiences to pause, observe and engage with the natural world in new ways.

She also highlighted the importance of creative voices in communicating the challenges facing wildlife, particularly Britain's seabirds. The United Kingdom supports internationally significant breeding populations of many seabird species, yet these remarkable birds face mounting pressures from climate change, disease, fisheries interactions and changes to their marine environment. At the time of Rachel's appointment, ten UK seabird species were on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List, including Puffins, Arctic Terns and Great Skuas.

The partnership will provide opportunities for Rachel and the RSPB to explore creative approaches to communicating these conservation challenges, combining her photographic storytelling with the charity's scientific expertise and conservation work.

Inspiring a Connection with the Natural World

For Rachel, the appointment represents an opportunity to bring together the two defining passions of her life: wildlife photography and the protection of the animals that inspire it.

Reflecting on the role, she explained:

“Wildlife photography is a portal to another world. It invites us to step into the lives of species many will never encounter, to see the beauty and fragility of the natural world. But it also does something more profound: it tells stories that words alone cannot.”

Through her ambassadorship, Rachel hopes to encourage greater public appreciation of seabirds and their habitats, while inspiring photographers and nature enthusiasts to recognise the role they can play in conservation. Her commitment is particularly informed by the relationships she has developed with individual species over years of fieldwork, and by a belief that meaningful conservation begins with understanding, empathy and a sense of personal connection.

The appointment represents both recognition of Rachel's existing contribution to wildlife conservation and an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between artistic storytelling and environmental protection.

As she continues to document the lives of seabirds across the world's oceans, her work with the RSPB will form an important part of a wider ambition: to ensure that the extraordinary species she has dedicated her life to photographing are not only admired, but understood, valued and protected.

Learn more: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds