An update on the Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s (SBAS) long-running Tree Swallow Nest Box Project will be presented at the next SBAS monthly evening program, 7:30 p.m., Feb. 22, in Farrand Hall at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol.
The free program, which is open to all, will be presented by SBAS’s science chair Steve Senesac. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The tree swallow naturally nests in tree cavities (often made by woodpeckers). Tree removal and grooming disturbs this habitat and is the likely reason why tree swallows dropped to the status of being an uncommon breeder around Santa Barbara and Ventura.
The SBAS science committee has worked to reverse this trend by developing nest box programs.
Senesac will discuss what the committee has been doing to reinforce efforts in this area and provide their analysis of years of data that have produced a number of fascinating facts and identified thought-provoking trends.
For more information on this, and other SBAS events, visit the Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s website http://santabarbaraaudubon.org/.
Questions about Audobon programs may be directed to Programs@SantaBarbaraAudubon.org, or call 964-1468. The Santa Barbara Audubon Society, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
— Janice Levasheff for Santa Barbara Audubon Society.