Eyes in the Sky

Eyes in the Sky (EITS) has been Santa Barbara Audubon’s key wildlife education program since 2000. It features five birds of prey that serve as education ambassadors: three owls and two falcons.

The EITS birds are in our care because they cannot survive in the wild. From blindness to broken wings, each bird had to be rescued because of a permanent disability.

EITS is the only federally licensed raptor education program in Santa Barbara County. We bring up-close educational experiences to community members of all ages, from all walks of life. The birds’ unique stories of survival share a message about the impact that we as humans have on the lives of our “wild neighbors.” Our goal is to foster respect and understanding for these wild species and their habitats.

EITS has only one paid staff member; it is largely run by volunteers who help care for the birds and present them to the public. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please see the “Volunteers” tab above.

The EITS birds are presented most days of the week at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum from 2:00 – 4:00pm. For further information on display times and locations, please see below.

The EITS birds are also presented in private educational programs. The majority of EITS’s offsite programs take place in public elementary schools, after-school programs, and community centers. EITS’s focus is on educating children in our lower-income areas, where children have few opportunities to engage with nature and wildlife. If you are interested in a private program, please see the “Programs” tab above.

EITS was founded in 2000 by Gabriele Drozdowski, who retired as the program’s director in 2018. We are now pleased to have Hannah Atkinson, a former EITS volunteer and a licensed falconer, as our new Eyes in the Sky director. She can be reached at email hidden; JavaScript is required.