The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH), in partnership with Eyes in the Sky (EITS) of the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, will host a celebration of life for Max, the beloved great horned Owl, 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 in the museum’s Fleischmann Auditorium.

Max, who recently passed away at the age of 27, was a cherished avian ambassador and a familiar presence to generations of Santa Barbara families.

“Through classroom visits, public programs, and museum appearances, Max helped inspire a lifelong love of birds and nature across the community,” SBMNH said.

“Max was one of the original EITS raptors and a local celebrity,” said Janice Levasheff, Santa Barbara Audubon Society Board president. “As a long-time feathered ambassador, he sparked the love of birds and nature in countless members of our community.

“Even to this day, many adults still remember Max from his visits to their classrooms while they were in elementary school.”  

The celebration of life will offer community members, fans, and families an opportunity to honor Max’s legacy, consider the impact he had on environmental education in the region, and acknowledge the human-animal connections that defined Max’s life.

Max’s story is unique among raptor ambassadors, organizers said. Though physically capable, he could not be released into the wild due to early imprinting on humans after he fell from his nest as an owlet.

Instead, he went on to live a life providing education and outreach, and even foster-parented dozens of orphaned great horned-owl chicks, helping them successfully return to the wild. 

“This special event underscores the shared goals of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the Santa Barbara Audubon Society: to inspire stewardship, curiosity, and compassion for the natural world,” said Janice Levasheff, director of Santa Barbara Audubon Society.

The event is free to attend but exploring the museum before the event requires paid admission.

For more, visit the SBMNH website.