Location:
Fleischmann Auditorium, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Program Speakers:
Satie Airamé, Jeff Chemnick & Raphael E. F. Santos
Home to 1,971 bird species, Brazil is a birding paradise with more than half of the species found in South America. Many of the world’s most interesting bird species live in Brazil’s patchwork of habitats, including more than 260 endemics that occur nowhere else on Earth. Some are colorful and gaudy birds such as parrots, macaws, and toucans. Others are elegant, glittering gems such as hummingbirds, jacamars, cotingas, and manakins.
Motivated by Brazil’s astonishing birds and a sense of urgency to see and photograph them prior to further declines, Santa Barbara bird enthusiasts Satie Airamé , Jeff Chemnick, and Mark Holmgren teamed up with Brazilian biologist and bird guide Raphael E. F. Santos on multiple expeditions to Brazil. The indefatigable explorers traveled to remote localities with complicated logistics to observe and photograph wild birds in their natural habitats. This presentation features a collection of stunning bird photographs as well as stories, insights, and (often humorous) commentary by the birders as they share their experiences with the unforgettable birds of Brazil.
Left to right: Jeff Chemnick, Satie Airamé and Raphael E. F. Santos
Photo by Mark Holmgren
Satie Airamé is the Assistant Dean at the UCSB Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. Jeff Chemnick is the owner of the exceptional plant nursery, Aloes in Wonderland in Santa Barbara. Recognized as an authority on Mexican cycads, Jeff serves as a Research Associate at Ganna Walska Lotusland. Jeff is a keen international birder who has traveled to more than 60 countries and has seen over 5,200 bird species. Raphael E. F. Santos is a Brazilian field biologist, environmental consultant, and birding guide with 20 years of experience leading birding tours around Brazil and neighboring South American countries.
