John Gould’s Blue-throated Toucanet illustration shows two blue and green birds with black and yellow beaks perched on a small leafy branch. (Courtesy photo)
‘Blue-throated Toucanet,’ from John Gould’s 1833 ‘Monograph of the Ramphastidae,’ or ‘Family of Toucans.’ (Courtesy photo)

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s latest exhibit, Splendid Plumage, depicts birds with some of the most elaborate feathers in the world.

The display, shown in the John and Peggy Maximus Gallery, features a colorful selection of 30 evolutionary marvels. Splendid Plumage is open through Sept. 8.

Originally published in the 19th century by the likes of John Gould and John James Audubon, the hand-colored lithographs mark an intersection between scientific illustration and high-status art.

Most of the works on view are new donations to the museum’s antique print collection and are being exhibited in the gallery for the first time.

John Gould's 'Orange-crested Bower Bird' depicts two small brown birds, one with a bright orange feather plume on its head, perched on a ground branch. (Courtesy photo)
‘Orange-crested Bower Bird,’ from John Gould’s 1875-88 ‘Birds of New Guinea.’ (Courtesy photo)

“In spring 2023, we were asked if we’d accept a large donation of 340 hand-colored lithographs by John Gould, the famous 19th-century British ornithologist and publisher,” said gallery curator Linda Miller.

“In 22 years, this is the largest single donation I’ve seen,” she said. “It took weeks to unpack, sort, photograph, and accession all the prints to the database.”

Miller said she is happy to now share numerous newly donated pieces like John Gould’s Blue-throated Toucanet in the new lineup.

“We’re showcasing some of the most extreme plumage out there,” she said.

For guests who may think the long tails and eye-popping colors represent artistic license, a video playing in the gallery includes modern footage and wildlife photography of the various species depicted by the artists. The video includes a soundtrack of their calls and songs.

Behind the scenes, Miller preserves and organizes a collection of some 5,000 engravings and lithographs, representing a sampling of European and American natural history illustrations from the 17th-19th centuries.

Splendid Plumage is included in museum admission. Members are admitted free.