Over the years Handbook of the Birds of the World, Lynx Edicions and Josep del Hoyo, Editor of the series, have received numerous awards from various international institutions and magazines.

  • HBW Vol. 1: Bird Book of the Year 1992 – Birdwatch.
  • HBW Vol. 1: Best Bird Book of the Year 1993 British Birds/British Trust for Ornithology.
  • HBW Vol. 5: Outstanding Academic Title 2000 – ‘Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries’. Choice publishes a list of Outstanding Academic Titles that were reviewed during the previous calendar year. This prestigious list reflects the best in scholarly titles reviewed by Choice and brings with it the extraordinary recognition of the academic library community.
  • Lynx Edicions: Generalitat de Catalunya Prize for the Internationalization of the Catalan Economy (Premi a la Internacionalització de l’Economia Catalana), 2002, awarded in recognition of the HBW project’s contribution to the internationalization of the Catalan Economy.
  • HBW Vol. 7: Best Bird Book of the Year 2002British Birds/British Trust for Ornithology.
  • HBW Vol. 7: Best Bird Reference Book 2002WorldTwitch.
  • HBW Vol. 8: Best Bird Reference Book 2003WorldTwitch.
  • HBW Vol. 9: Best Bird Reference Book 2004WorldTwitch.
  • Josep del Hoyo: 2010 – His surname was chosen by the German taxonomist Norbert Bahr to describe the taxon Buteo albicollis delhoyoi, “the new name honours the Spanish ornithologist Josep del Hoyo, initiator and editor of the monumental and magnificent Handbook of the birds of the world, for his outstanding contribution to bird conservation and ornithological science.”
  • Josep del Hoyo: Fundación BBVA 2010. Prize for the Diffusion of Knowledge and Raising Awareness of Conservation of Biodiversity.
  • Trogons. A Natural History of the Trogonidae: Award-Winner in the Best Interior Design category of the 2010 International Book Awards: Award-Winning Finalist in the Best Cover Design category of the 2010 International Book Awards.
  • Lynx Edicions: Prize for the Divulgation of the Natural World (Premio a la Divulgación de la Naturaleza), 2011, awarded by the Association for the Divulgation and Conservation of Nature OMACHA (EDC NATURA).
  • Josep del Hoyo: SEO/BirdLife Bernis Lifetime Achievement Award 2012 (Premio Bernis a la Trayectoria Personal 2012).“Marking the completion of the encyclopaedia Handbook of the Birds of the World, SEO/Birdlife has expressed its gratitude and admiration for the editor of this exceptional publication, Josep del Hoyo, by awarding him the Francisco Bernis Ornithology Prize in the Lifetime Achievement category.”
  • HBW Special Volume: New Species and Global Index: Outstanding Academic Title 2014 – ‘Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries’.
  • Josep del Hoyo: SGE- Sociedad Geográfica Española (Spanish Geographical Society). Premio a la investigación 2014 (Prize for Investigation 2014).
  • HMW Vol.5: Winner of the 2016 Whitley Medal: The Whitley Awards seek out and acclaim the best publications published in the previous 12 months relating to Australasian zoology and the unique fauna of the region. The Whitley Medal and Special Commendation are the most sought after prizes in Australian zoological publishing.
  • Birds of New Guinea: Winner of the 2017 Whitley Award. Certificate of Commendation for the BEST BOOK in the category of FIELD GUIDE.
  • HMW Vol.9: Bats: Outstanding Academic Title 2020– ‘Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries’.
  • Josep del Hoyo: 2022 – His surname was chosen to describe the taxon Apaloderma camerunense delhoyoi, with the following comment by the paper’s authors: “In conceiving, creating and editing the incomparable and immense Handbook of the birds of the world (1992‒2013) Josep del Hoyo made one of the greatest contributions to world ornithology of any single human being.”