Monthly Programs
Upcoming meeting:
Informing Burrowing Owl Conservation With Genomics & Other Stories
with Dr. Kelly Barr, California State University, Monterey Bay
Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 6:00 PM
at Hopkins Marine Station - Izzy Abbot Lecture Hall
Of the ~24 subspecies spread across the Americas, the Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) is the lone subspecies with migratory populations. In California, there are numerous resident breeding populations and many
of these have experienced decline during the last century due to habitat loss, including the extirpation of numerous coastal populations. Kelly will present analyses from genomic data that illustrate the impacts of that population decline and potential additional roadblocks to conservation actions. He will also discuss a variety of projects conducted by undergraduates as part of a Bird Biology course at CSUMB.
Starting in April 2026, lectures will be at the Izzy Abbott Lecture Hall at Hopkins Marine Station. We have made the decision to switch venues to utilize the larger space with enhanced audio and visual features. Unlike past events at Hopkins, this lecture is exclusively hosted by Monterey Audubon Society and does not require an RSVP. The doors will open at 5:45, and the lecture will begin at 6:00. We plan to conclude the evening with a social hour featuring snacks and beverages.
Future Presentations
July 2026 - Jake Smith, MPRPD - Rewilding of Palo Corona
August 2026 - Dr. John McCormack, Moore Laboratory of Zoology
September 2026 - BLOYs and Sea Level Rise CSUMB Graduate Intern Lauren Clor
October 2026 - Island Bird Conservation with Brad Keitt - American Bird Conservancy
Indoor Events with Monterey Audubon Society - For the health and safety of our community, we ask that everyone in attendance be up to date on all of their Flu/Covid/RSV vaccinations as appropriate. We invite you to wear a mask if that makes you more comfortable and request you to consider staying home if you have any symptoms of illness.
Past Presentations
To watch previously recorded presentations, head to the MAS YouTube channel. We are making every effort to Live Stream each month's presentation on YouTube which automatically uploads within a few days after the presentation.