Enjoy it while visiting Auburn in Alabama
The Southeastern Raptor Center is a world-class wildlife rehabilitation and education facility located on the campus of Auburn University, dedicated to the care, conservation, and study of birds of prey across the southeastern United States. Founded in the early 1970s by veterinary faculty who recognized the need for specialized raptor medicine, the center has grown into one of the nation’s premier facilities for avian rehabilitation and public education. It serves as the permanent home to more than two dozen raptors representing species such as bald eagles, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, barn owls, peregrine falcons, and American kestrels.
The center is best known as the home of War Eagle, Auburn University’s legendary golden eagle that soars over Jordan-Hare Stadium before every home football game — a tradition widely regarded as one of the most thrilling pregame rituals in all of college sports. Beyond its football fame, the center provides critical medical care to hundreds of injured wild raptors each year, operates extensive educational outreach programs across Alabama and Georgia, and contributes to avian science research that benefits raptor populations throughout the region.
The Southeastern Raptor Center traces its origins to the 1970s when Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine began treating injured birds of prey brought in by wildlife officials, concerned citizens, and conservation officers. As the caseload grew, the university formalized the program in 1976 under the leadership of veterinary faculty who established specialized protocols for raptor surgery, rehabilitation, and release. The center’s mission expanded significantly in subsequent decades, evolving from a small clinic into a comprehensive facility encompassing wildlife medicine, public education, research, and species conservation.
The War Eagle tradition that made the center nationally famous dates to the late 1970s, when the university adopted the golden eagle as its living mascot. The current eagle, War Eagle VII, named Aurea, is a golden eagle that was found injured in the wild and deemed non-releasable by wildlife authorities — a status shared by nearly all of the center’s permanent raptor residents. Before every Auburn home football game, the golden eagle takes flight from the stadium’s upper deck, circling the field and landing at midfield to the roar of more than 87,000 fans in a moment that embodies the spirit and passion of Auburn University.
The center’s cultural significance extends well beyond football Saturdays, as it has become a cornerstone of wildlife conservation education for schoolchildren, scout groups, and families throughout Alabama. Thousands of students visit annually for field trips and educational programs that teach the importance of raptors in healthy ecosystems, while the center’s traveling outreach team brings live birds of prey to classrooms, libraries, and community events across the region.
Visitors can experience educational raptor presentations at the center’s on-site amphitheater, where handlers bring eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons into free flight while discussing their natural history, hunting strategies, and conservation challenges. These sessions, known as “Football, Fans, and Feathers,” are held on select Fridays before home football weekends and draw large crowds eager to witness birds of prey in action up close. The demonstrations reveal the remarkable agility, speed, and sensory abilities of each species, with falcons reaching diving speeds that demonstrate why they rank among the fastest animals on the planet.
Guided tours of the center offer behind-the-scenes insight into raptor rehabilitation and veterinary care, allowing visitors to see the medical facilities, flight conditioning pens, and mews where permanent residents live. Knowledgeable staff and student volunteers explain the process of treating injured raptors, from triage and surgery to flight conditioning and eventual release back into the wild. The tour highlights individual birds and their personal stories, including bald eagles recovering from wing fractures, owls blinded by vehicle collisions, and hawks whose injuries prevent survival in the wild but allow them to serve as ambassadors for their species.
Photography enthusiasts will find exceptional opportunities to capture images of these magnificent birds during presentations and in their enclosure settings. The center’s large flight demonstrations provide dramatic shots of eagles and hawks soaring against Alabama skies, while close-up encounters with owls and falcons allow for detailed portraits highlighting the intricate feather patterns, piercing eyes, and powerful talons that define raptors. Staff members are generally accommodating of photographers and can suggest optimal vantage points for the best images.
The undisputed star of the Southeastern Raptor Center is War Eagle VII, the golden eagle whose pregame flights over Jordan-Hare Stadium have been named among the top college football traditions in America by numerous publications. Her massive seven-foot wingspan, powerful build, and regal bearing captivate audiences of all ages, while handlers share the story of her rescue, rehabilitation, and training. Seeing this magnificent bird in flight during a stadium demonstration is a genuinely unforgettable experience that connects visitors to the deep traditions of Auburn University.
The center’s collection includes several bald eagles — America’s national bird and a powerful conservation success story following its recovery and removal from the endangered species list in 2007. Visitors can observe these birds at close range, noting the distinctive white head and tail feathers that develop at maturity around age four or five, along with the powerful yellow beak and talons that make bald eagles such effective hunters. The eagles at the center serve as living symbols of successful wildlife protection efforts and inspire visitors to support conservation causes.
A rotating cast of hawks, owls, and falcons rounds out the resident population, with species ranging from the tiny Eastern screech owl to the imposing Eurasian eagle-owl, one of the largest owl species in the world. A highlight for many visitors is the collection of peregrine falcons, birds capable of reaching diving speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour — making them the fastest animals on Earth. The center’s barn owls, with their distinctive heart-shaped faces and ghostly pale plumage, offer a striking contrast and demonstrate the remarkable diversity found within the raptor family.
The on-site amphitheater serves as the center’s primary venue for flight demonstrations and educational programming, with tiered seating that provides excellent sight lines for all visitors. During presentations, handlers release birds from elevated perches and explain the science of raptor flight, including wing loading, thermal soaring, and the energy efficiency of migration patterns. The amphitheater setting, surrounded by mature trees and open sky, creates an authentic natural environment that enhances the experience significantly.
The rehabilitation hospital operates behind the scenes but represents one of the center’s most important functions, treating injured, ill, and orphaned raptors from across Alabama and neighboring states. While the hospital is not generally open for tours due to the stress it would place on recovering patients, the center offers educational exhibits explaining the rehabilitation process and the success rate of releases achieved through veterinary care. More than half of all admitted raptors are eventually released back to the wild following treatment, a statistic that underscores the center’s substantial conservation impact.
The flight conditioning pens, where recovering raptors rebuild wing strength and stamina before release, demonstrate the comprehensive approach to rehabilitation that distinguishes the center. These long, enclosed structures allow birds to fly extended distances while protected from wild predators and human disturbance, ensuring they return to the wild with the physical capabilities needed for survival. Educational signage around these facilities helps visitors understand the complex process of wildlife rehabilitation and the months of dedicated care required for each patient.
The most popular time to visit the Southeastern Raptor Center is September through November during Auburn’s football season, when the “Football, Fans, and Feathers” presentations draw large crowds and the energy on campus is at its peak. The Friday afternoon demonstrations during this period offer visitors the chance to see War Eagle VII and other raptors in flight while enjoying the festive pregame atmosphere that defines autumn in Auburn. Arriving early is highly recommended as these sessions fill quickly with families, alumni, and football fans eager to experience one of college football’s most cherished traditions.
Spring from March through May provides an excellent alternative for those seeking smaller crowds and pleasant weather, with daytime temperatures typically ranging from the 60s to low 80s and blooming dogwoods and azaleas adding color to the landscape. Educational programs and school field trips are in full swing during these months, and the center’s permanent residents are active and engaging as the weather warms. Summer visits are feasible but visitors should prepare for hot and humid conditions with temperatures often reaching the 90s, while winter months bring a quieter pace with fewer scheduled demonstrations and the opportunity for more personalized interactions with staff and handlers.