Dennis and Jess Beebe, father and daughter, will deliver an illustrated public lecture titled “V is for Vulture” on Wednesday, February 19th at 7:00 pm in Fleischmann Auditorium at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. There is no admission charge and the general public is invited to attend this lecture presented by the Santa Barbara Audubon Society.
We see vultures circling overhead almost every day in Santa Barbara and Ventura County. These large black, bald-headed birds are usually Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura), a member of nature’s efficient clean-up crew. They are scavengers and they have been patrolling the skies for millennia. A total of 23 species make up the vultures found in the New World (the Americas) and the Old World (Europe, Asia and Africa). Turkey Vultures are local representatives of the New World vultures, which in North America also include the California Condor and the Black Vulture. Although Turkey Vultures are commonly seen, they are little studied and much of their behavior remains unknown. This illustrated lecture will address what is known about Turkey Vultures, including their evolution, ecology, and how vultures are treated worldwide, from reverence to revulsion.
Dennis Beebe retired after completing two careers: as an Air Force officer and as an aerospace management consultant. He works part time for the University of California Sedgwick Reserve, where he also serves as a volunteer docent. He is also a docent with the non-profit NatureTrack Film Festival and serves on the board of directors of the Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society.
Jess Beebe is an accomplished artist, self-taught computer expert, and birder extraordinaire who frequently gets recruited by her father to assist him in developing PowerPoint lectures. She also volunteers with the NatureTrack Film Festival, Sedgwick Reserve, and other community organizations in the Santa Ynez Valley.
For more information, please call the Santa Barbara Audubon Society at 805-964-1468.
Visit https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/ for the latest news on our trips, events and advocacy.
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