Birds of California’s Channel Islands

Schedule

Tue Sep 29 2026 at 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm

UTC-07:00
Location

2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA, United States, California 93105 | Santa Barbara, CA

Advertisement
Presented by the Santa Barbara Audubon Society and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Join us for a lively and memorable lecture and book signing event with two of the authors of Birds of California’s Channel Islands, the first comprehensive guide to the avifauna of our region’s unique archipelago. Curator Emeritus of Vertebrate Zoology Paul W. Collins, M.A., and Wildlife Biologist Justyn T. Stahl, M.S., will provide a sweeping overview of the changing status and distribution of Channel Islands birds, ranging from prehistoric times through the present. Drawing on a stunning breadth of data sources and over 65 years of combined personal fieldwork on the islands, they will share key takeaways about how biogeography and the effects of humans on the landscape have shaped bird populations and diversity. Along the way, you’ll hear about the challenges of this epic research project 50 years in the making, and enjoy the rich and unique perspectives of two ornithologists with deep knowledge of these islands.
Paul Collins has used the Museum’s Vertebrate Zoology Collections—strong in Channel Islands specimens—as a home base for extensive fieldwork across all eight of the California Channel Islands. His work on historic eagle diets helped inform restoration and recovery plans for Island Foxes. He has extensively studied and published research about Channel Islands wildlife—especially avifauna—in cooperation with Channel Islands National Park, the Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Navy, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Justyn Stahl worked on San Clemente Island from 2008 to 2023, primarily as manager of the endangered San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike monitoring project. His work led to several significant bird discoveries, including California’s first Bluethroat. He has volunteered as an eBird editor for California, a regional compiler for North American Birds, and a member and chair of the California Bird Records Committee. He currently works as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Copies of Birds of California’s Channel Islands will be available for purchase ($129 plus tax) and signing at this event.
Tickets $5
Reserve yours online today: https://tickets.sbnature.org/events/019faf0c-afad-ea08-68fc-7ca0d07093e9
Contact [email protected] for more information.
Bird artwork by Dana Gardner
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA, United States, California 93105

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Host or PublisherSanta Barbara Museum of Natural History

Ask AI if this event suits you