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Kachina -
Max flying -
Puku -
Karla Shelton and Kisa at the foothills -
Athena -
Athena -
IVAN at the foothills -
Ricky Ploumpis and Kachina -
Kisa -
Bonnie Whitney with Kisa eating mealworms from her hat -
Max and owlets -
Karla Shelton with Kanati -
Puku -
Richard Nordli and Lacee Lopez with Kachina and Kisa -
Zoe Stevens with Ivan -
Gabriele with Angel, previous Peregrine
Ongoing Events
Eyes in the Sky Big Year!!!
Save the date - October 18th, 10 am - 4 pm
Eyes in the Sky is having its third Open House on Sunday, October 18th at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. We will also be celebrating the 15th anniversary of Eyes in the Sky as well as the 5th anniversary of the Mews being at the Museum.
It is going to be a filled day of activities, games, and close encounters with the birds. Hope you can join the birds in celebrating our 15 years of service in educating the community about raptors and wildlife.
Family Nature Day including Chumash storytelling, songs, children’s crafts and Eyes in the Sky’s live birds (sponsored by the SB Museum of Natural History, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation & Eyes in the Sky).
Eyes in the Sky (EITS) is having its second Open House on Sunday, October 19th at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and YOU are invited!
This year’s event will again highlight EITS’s seven bird ambassadors—in close encounters and in stage presentations—and tours of the aviary. In addition, this year’s event will also include storytelling by Chumash Elder Julie Tumimait-Stenslie and a crafts station/educational display from Explore Ecology. Kids of all ages will enjoy hands-on activities including owl pellet dissection, feather game, crafts, coloring and a scavenger hunt. Educational stations will feature EITS, Santa Barbara Audubon, Dark Sky Association, and raptor specimens from The Museum’s bird collection.
Admission is free and McConnell’s will be on hand to sell their delicious ice cream. Merchandise, including EITS T-shirts, raptor buttons, custom-made bird feeders, EITS logo shopping bags and many other items will be on sale to help support the EITS program. A fun “instant” raffle with fabulous prizes is also in store.
The Open House runs from 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 19. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is located at 2559 Puesta del Sol in Santa Barbara, California. The birds hope to see you there!
EITS Statement
Eyes in the Sky (EITS) has been Santa Barbara Audubon’s key wildlife education program since 2000. It features seven birds of prey that serve as education ambassadors. All were rescued and rehabilitated but, due to permanent disabilities, can no longer survive in the wild. They were adopted from wildlife rehabilitation centers, and if not adopted by a licensed facility, would have had to be euthanized. EITS has been providing regular informal programs at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH) as part of its outreach efforts. In 2004, SBMNH’s Executive Director, Dr. Karl Hutterer, brought up the possibility of permanently housing the birds at the Museum. It took Santa Barbara Audubon seven years and $250,000 to build the aviary on the Museum Campus, and in March 2011 all birds moved from the EITS Director's residence to the Museum. SBAS/EITS continues to run the raptor education program, and both organizations are benefitting; SBMNH has gained an enhanced educational experience to offer its visitors, and SBAS has gained permanent and secure housing for the birds.
For students looking to engage more deeply with this topic, a ‘write a discussion post for me’ service for students can be a valuable resource. This service can help students articulate their thoughts and contribute meaningfully to class discussions on wildlife education and conservation.
