Santa Barbara Audubon’s Eyes in the Sky will hold its 4th Annual Open House Fundraiser 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, on the grounds of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol. Admission and parking are free.
The event offers activities for the whole family including: birds-of-prey presentations, aviary tours, a scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, a raffle and silent auction.
Eyes in the Sky has been Santa Barbara Audubon’s key wildlife education program since it was founded in 2000 by Gabriele Drozdowski, the program’s executive director. It is the only licensed raptor-education program in Santa Barbara County.
Eyes in the Sky features seven birds of prey that were rescued and rehabilitated but, due to permanent disabilities, can no longer survive in the wild.
Though the program’s initial focus was to provide children opportunities to experience wildlife both in the classroom and in nature, its outreach has expanded to kids of all ages.
Volunteers continue to bring these feathered ambassadors to schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, and after-school programs. Museum visitors can see and learn about the birds every afternoon when volunteers bring them out of their aviary in the museum backyard.
Now, thanks to a recent grant, some senior communities also can be enriched by visits from these birds.
Through each interaction, the live birds’ presence inspires respect for wildlife, while their stories illustrate the impacts of human activities upon the birds and their habitats, and how people might help them.
For more information, call the Eyes in the Sky office, 259-1446 or e-mail “mailto:info@eyesinthesky.org”info@eyesinthesky.org.
More information about the open house, go to the Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s website at www.SantaBarbaraAudubon.org/