Curator’s Choice: The Birds of America

John James Audubon’s painting of the American Bald Eagle feasting on a catfish was made in 1828. It was originally engraved for his famous work, The Birds of America, by Robert Havell in London. In 1858 the work was printed in New York by means of chromolithography for the Bien edition. Audubon described the bird plummeting to seize its prey as “like a falling star,” and he presciently noticed that the Bald Eagle’s numbers were diminishing due to habitat change. The Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species list in 2007 and has become a symbol of wildlife conservation. The bird is the largest native eagle of North America and the National Bird of the United States. The Maximus Art Collection of antique natural history prints at the SB Museum of Natural History has a copy of Audubon’s painting. Past gallery exhibits can be viewed online at MaximusGallery.org.

Curator’s Choice is a new weekly column from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, offering Montecito Journal readers a glimpse into the remarkable stories behind special items in our collections. With over 3.5 million specimens, artifacts, and documents, the Museum preserves the natural and cultural heritage of our region while promoting scientific literacy and a deeper connection to the natural world. This mission is made possible through the generosity of our community: 350 volunteers contribute more than 17,000 hours annually, supporters donate $3 million each year, and a growing number of legacy donors are securing the future of our cherished scientific and educational institution by adding the Museum to their will.  

The Museum’s new Space Sciences exhibit, Our Cosmic Coast, is open now for your viewing pleasure and galactic wonder