Wildlife Education for Santa Barbara
Since 2000, Eyes in the Sky (EITS) has been Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s key wildlife education program. It features live birds of prey trained to interact with the public as ambassador animals. Each of our birds was adopted from a licensed wildlife rescue center; they are considered non-releasable and would be unlikely to survive outside of human care.
Our birds are housed on the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History campus. You can view the birds in their aviary during the Museum’s open hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Santa Barbara Audubon Society volunteers are present to teach guests about the birds 2:00–4:00 PM on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
The EITS birds also travel off the Museum campus for private educational programs. The majority of our offsite programs take place in public elementary schools, after-school programs, and community centers. If you’d like to schedule a visit from the birds, please see the “Programs” tab above.
EITS was founded in 2000 by Gabriele Drozdowski, who retired as the program’s director in 2018. The program is now run by one half-time staff person – Hannah Atkinson, a former volunteer and licensed falconer – and supported by a team of about 25 volunteer educators. To learn more about volunteering, please see below.
Times & Location
At the Museum of Natural History, the birds can be viewed in their aviary from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
Santa Barbara Audubon Society volunteers are present to teach guests about the birds 2:00–4:00 PM Thursday–Sunday.
Address:
Audubon Aviary
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Thank you for your support – in all its shapes and forms!
Want to Volunteer?
Eyes in the Sky volunteers are dedicated group of raptor caretakers and educators from all walks of life. They are the public face of Santa Barbara Audubon Society, engaging with audiences of all ages throughout the Santa Barbara area.
Volunteers care for the birds in our aviary, and they present to the public about our local raptor species. Our educational outreach presentations are typically informal and learner-directed, with a friendly and approachable atmosphere. We interact with audiences both on-site at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and off-site at local schools, community centers, and retirement communities. We want to share our passion for these incredible birds!
There may be opportunities for new volunteers to handle a live bird on the glove, but most of our time is spent acting as interpreters and educators for the public. We ask all volunteers to dedicate at least one afternoon per week from 1:30 – 4:00 PM, and we ask for a commitment of at least one full year.
If you’re interested in joining us, please email email hidden; JavaScript is required with your contact information and any relevant experience in animal care, wildlife rehabilitation, or education. Thank you!
