Meet our Ambassadors

The Santa Barbara Audubon Society has acquired some very special wildlife ambassadors that can no longer survive in the wild. They live with us under special state and federal permits and visit classrooms and community events, educating about human impacts and their own natural history. Their up-close magnificence brings our conservation message close to people's hearts. All are species found locally in Santa Barbara. If they enchant you, please feel free to adopt any one of them.

• Ivan, Red-tailed Hawk

• Max, Great Horned Owl

• Squirt, Red-shouldered Hawk

• Grumpy, Western Screech Owl

• Sedona, Peregrine Falcon

Red-shouldered Hawk

Squirt's tree home was cut down while he was still in his nest. During his long fall, he permanently injured one wing and a leg. Squirt is very playful: he hunts fallen apples and periodically goes swimming in our pond.

Western Screech Owl

Grumpy, like Ivan, was hit by a car and has trouble balancing. Car impact is the most frequent cause of injury for birds of prey. Screech owls are small, about the size of a man's fist, and are often mistaken for baby Great Horned owls. In temperament, however, they resemble small tigers, and they are formidable opponents for their size.

Peregrine Falcon

Sedona, flew into a large picture window while pursuing her feathered lunch. Peregrines, the fastest animals on earth, can reach speeds of up to 250 miles per hour during dives for prey. They almost exclusively eat other birds, which they catch in flight. Sedona is named after her hometown of Sedona, Arizona. A very small but steadily growing population of Peregrine falcons calls Santa Barbara County their home.