Wildlife biologist and author, Sophie Osborn, will deliver an illustrated public lecture titled “Wild Work: Adventures of Women Wildlife Biologists”, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 7:00 PM in Fleischmann Auditorium at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. This special event is presented by the Santa Barbara Audubon Society and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Courtesy of Chaucer’s Bookstore, books by Sophie Osborn will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
Osborn will present the often untold stories of intrepid and dedicated women field biologists and conservationists featured in her inspiring new anthology, Wild Work, which she co-edited with freshwater ecologist Susan B. Adams. Her presentation will include readings of exciting and entertaining short first-person accounts by women field biologists studying birds, fish and wildlife across the globe. Osborn will also talk about the demands of scientific fieldwork, the lifelong friendships forged, and the transformative power of connecting deeply with the natural world.
She’ll share stories from field biologists studying birds in a variety of habitats including White-bearded Manakins and Duianan Cock-of-the-rock in Suriname, songbirds in Belize, raptors in Colorado, Yellow-naped Amazon Parrots in Guatemala, Harpy Eagles in Panama, Ruppell’s Vultures in Kenya and California Condors in Arizona and here in Santa Barbara.
Currently based in Montana, Osborn has worked with endangered birds throughout the Americas. She contributed to reintroduction efforts for several species, including as a field manager for the California Condor Recovery Program in Arizona. Her book, Condors in Canyon Country, won the 2007 National Outdoor Book Award for Nature and the Environment. Osborn’s second book, Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds, was selected by the American Birding Association as their favorite bird book of 2024.
This lecture is open to everyone. Advance ticket purchase is recommended in order to guarantee admission. General admission tickets are $5 and are available in advance on the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s website and will also be available for purchase at the door the night of the event, if still available.
https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9294/wild-work-adventures-of-women-field-biologists
For tickets and more information, please call the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History at 805-682-4711.
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