Crafting a flight plan: An eagle’s eye view of raptor training
Ever wondered how a bald or golden eagle can calmly soar around a football stadium filled with nearly 90,000 noisy fans and nail its landing at midfield without deciding to take a detour for a fishing trip at the nearest lake?
Our video series with the Auburn University Raptor Center (AURC), a unit of the College of Veterinary Medicine, offers a bird’s (and trainer’s) eye view of the process that makes War Eagle Flights possible before Auburn football games.
The AURC engages in a phased relationship-building process that includes “approximations,” a rewards-based positive-reinforcement approach. The preparation for the gameday experience also involves creance flights during the summer to ensure safety of the resident raptors and enable them to build strength and flight fitness. The final training stage involves “ramp training,” to build their confidence with high release points and familiarity with the stadium environment.