Birds of a feather: Auburn University and raptors stick together

Beginning in 1892, Auburn University has been home to the famous “War Eagle,” an eagle that circles Auburn’s football stadium before games. These renowned raptors have found a nest at Auburn University’s Raptor Center, a center dedicated to raptor rehabilitation, conservation and education.

Here’s a quick rundown:

• Where: 1350 Pratt-Carden Dr, Auburn, AL 36849
• When: Raptor admissions from 8AM to 4:30PM every day | Tours by appointment only, typically closed Sun. and Mon.
• Contact: (334) 844-6943
• More Info

Without feather ado, read on to learn more about Auburn’s Raptor Center.

The Raptor Center’s Mission

Auburn University’s Raptor Center is a division of Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The center provides rehabilitation and veterinary care to raptors that are injured or orphaned. They also house raptors that are unfit for release for educational purposes. Currently, the center has 22 resident raptors of all kinds. Owls, falcons, vultures and more call the Raptor Center home. While the eagles are the most popular, it is the center’s hope to better educate visitors on less popular raptors, like vultures or hawks.

“When people get to experience them [raptors] up close, see those feathers right above their head and feel the wind from their wings, that’s when they start to care more. And that’s really what we want, is for people to be inspired to care about these birds, so that they want to protect them.”

~ Amanda Sweeney, Assistant Director, Education and Training

Raptor Training

The Raptor Center takes in raptors from all over the state of Alabama. When housed at the center, the raptors partake in all kinds of training: flying from different perches, flying to different people, and some are even trained to do different puzzle toys, like the vultures. All raptors are trained daily, and the eagles are taken to the stadium to fly five days a week during the football season.

“Every morning, that’s what we do—we take them over there [Jordan-Hare stadium]. That way, it’s so much routine that when it comes to game day, they don’t care about the 80,000 people there.”

~ Amanda Sweeney, Assistant Director, Education and Training

Raptor Center staff

The center’s staff consists of full-time staff, student volunteers and community volunteers. Volunteers have the opportunity to eventually lead presentations and tours, and often go on to work at zoos, nature centers or raptor centers.

“It’s pretty amazing just for me to be able to see my volunteers come here, learn everything. They don’t have to know anything beforehand. They learn everything about the raptors, natural history and things you could do conservation wise. And then they’re teaching people—it’s very fun to watch both birds progress and volunteers.”

~ Amanda Sweeney, Assistant Director, Education and Training

On the rehabilitation side of the Raptor Center, fourth year clinical students are taught and trained about raptor medicine. There are about 50 to 60 volunteers that help with rehabilitation.

“We don’t know, essentially, what’s coming through our door at any point in time. So we are always on our toes for the next emergency to arise from any of our raptors that may get injured out in the wild.”

~ Stephanie Kadletz, Assistant Director, Raptor Rehabilitation

Tours of the Raptor Center

The center offers tours of the raptor enclosures for groups of 25 or less. For groups of 25 or more, visitors can experience an hour long presentation at the center’s amphitheater, where the raptors will emerge from towers and fly above guests’ heads and allow them a close look. Afterwards, guests can take pictures with the center’s eagles. Tours are by appointment only and are typically unavailable on Sundays and Mondays; applications can be found on their website.

Make sure to keep up with Auburn University’s Raptor Center on Facebook or Instagram!

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