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By Santa Barbara Audubon Society
Birds give us joy and are important to our ecosystem. Since 1963, Santa Barbara Audubon Society (SBAS) has been guided by our mission to protect birds, conserve bird habitat, and connect people with birds through education, conservation, and science. Some ways to partner with us in keeping the future bright for birds include:
See your pet through a bird’s eyes
Cats and dogs make wonderful pets, but to a bird, they are predators. Cats, even when well-fed, hunt and kill birds instinctively. A dog running through a flock of birds on the beach is perceived as a threat, causing birds to scatter. Migrating birds lose the opportunity to rest and feed so they can make it to their destination. Birds frightened off their nest leave chicks vulnerable to predators and the elements. To decrease these adverse impacts on bird populations, keep cats indoors and dogs on a leash. Stay on trails when out hiking with your dog.
Feed birds — or not
One question that Audubon.org encourages you to ask: “Is the food appropriate and safely provided?” If you choose bird feeders, they offer “the spread of viruses and parasites, a greater chance of window strikes, and increased vulnerability to cats and raptors. But if best practices have been followed, research shows that feeders may actually help birds to survive and reproduce.” Native plants are the healthiest food. Among the least healthy is bread, which has little nutritional value and can make birds sick.
Properly dispose of used fishing tackle
Discarded fishing line and hooks left in the environment can maim or kill birds, either through entanglement or ingestion. Fishing line is non-biodegradable and remains in the environment for years. Place discarded tackle in a lidded trash can (cut the line into pieces if possible) or recycle the fishing line at a monofilament recycling bin. Report entangled animals to a local wildlife rehabilitation center such as Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.
Help Us Soar
SBAS was founded in 1963 when the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Bird Study Group became an independent chapter of the National Audubon Society. SBAS engages the community through monthly programs, bird walks, field trips, classroom visits, and public presentations. Outreach includes the Winter Bird Count for Kids and Meet Your Wild Neighbor school program. Our iconic Eyes in the Sky program is the only licensed raptor education program in the county. Our rescued raptors live at our aviary at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, where they delight visitors every day that the museum is open.
By applying knowledge gained through community and science, SBAS provides guidance and input on local projects that impact birds, working to ensure that laws protecting birds and bird habitat are honored. To accomplish this work, SBAS relies on chapter memberships, donations, and grants. And volunteers!
For information about what we do and how to help, go to SantaBarbaraAudubon.org.
