Raptor Rehabilitation

Out of an abundance of caution due to confirmed HPAI (bird flu) cases in the state of Alabama and resultant directives by state officials, until further notice the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine and Auburn Raptor Center will not accept any sick or injured wild birds for treatment. Precautions are being taken to protect resident and patient raptors currently housed at the center, with educational programming and scheduled tours continuing as planned.

Please do not touch or attempt to move injured, deceased or sick wild birds and do not transport the animal for treatment. In the event you or someone you know locates a deceased, injured or sick bird of any species, contact the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division at (334) 242-3469 for additional information. It is very important that the wild bird not be removed from the location at which it is found to limit the potential spread of HPAI.

Additional information about HPAI in Alabama and the current national situation can be found on the ADCNR or CDC websites.

Raptor release into the wild

The mission of the rehabilitation unit of the Auburn Raptor Center is to rehabilitate injured, orphaned, or ill wild raptors.  This includes hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, kites and vultures that are all native to the area. The center typically admits 250 or more raptors annually. Please DO NOT remove any raptor from its habitat unless it is obviously injured or ill. Our first priority as a rehabilitation facility is to prevent raptors that do not require intervention from being removed from the wild. Call and speak with us or state wildlife officials for advice if you are not certain. What do I do if I find an injured raptor?

Our goal is to return raptors to the wild after being rehabilitated and offer a hands-on experience for volunteers and veterinary students. Raptors are generally brought by members of the public, a network of Southeastern rehabilitators and educational facilities, as well as state and federal agencies.

The rehabilitation unit admits all native, wild raptors that are injured, orphaned, or ill. Since the Auburn Raptor Center is designed specifically to care for birds of prey, it is not able to accept any other type of bird.  View a current list of non-raptor bird rehabilitators.

Please call us at (334) 844-6347 if you have any questions about what to do if you find an injured raptor.

Check on the status of a bird.

Contact

Seth Oster, DVM
Associate Professor, Avian and Exotics
Telephone: (334) 844-6347
Email: ostersc@auburn.edu

Amberly Sokoloff, DVM
Veterinarian
Telephone: (334) 844-8513
Email: ams0344@auburn.edu

Marcia Gannon
Veterinary Assistant
Telephone: (334) 844-6347
Email: mdt0010@auburn.edu

Stephanie Kadletz 
Assistant Director, Raptor Rehabilitation
Telephone: (334) 844-6347
Email: sak0050@auburn.edu

Bryant Tarr
Raptor Specialist
Telephone: (334) 844-6347
Email: dbt0015@auburn.edu