War Eagle Flight Frequently Asked Questions

The War Eagle Flight is one of Auburn University’s most beloved traditions. Before each home football game, one of our trained eagles takes to the skies over Jordan-Hare Stadium in a powerful flight that celebrates Auburn’s enduring spirit and AURC’s commitment to wildlife education and conservation. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this iconic tradition, the eagles who participate, and the team who make it possible. 

How did the War Eagle Flight start?

According to legend, the original War Eagle Flight occurred during the first Auburn-Georgia game in 1892. A Civil War veteran had brought an eagle to the game that he’d found during the Battle of the Wilderness. As Auburn began to make a comeback, the eagle broke free from the soldier and began to circle the stadium, exciting the fans and invigorating the football players. In most versions of the legend, the eagle fell to the ground and died once Auburn secured a victory. At Auburn University Raptor Center, we’d prefer a version where the eagle lives to soar free as the first successful raptor rehabilitation case in Auburn history.

In 2000, the modern-day tradition of the War Eagle Flight started with a humble, ground-skimming flight from the endzone to the 50-yard line in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The first eagle to fly was Tiger, War Eagle VI, who set the standard and helped today’s beloved tradition take flight.

Who trains the eagle?

Our eagles are trained by the professional raptor staff at the Auburn University Raptor Center, which is part of the College of Veterinary Medicine. These trainers work year-round to ensure the eagle is in peak condition—both physically and mentally—for flight.

Is the eagle wild or captive-bred?

All War Eagles are non-releasable raptors. Some of our eagles are imprints, meaning that they were accidentally human socialized at a young age and would be unable to hunt for themselves. Others have sustained injuries in the wild that would prevent them from being able to hunt effectively.

Do the eagles enjoy flying in the stadium?

Our eagles are trained using positive reinforcement and given choice in their participation in gameday flights. Like true athletes, they train four to five days a week leading up to the flights in an empty stadium, sometimes flying 1-4 times in a single session. These training days benefit their physical and mental health by allowing them to express the natural behavior of flight.

In short, what you see is cultivated over years of training, trust, and positive reinforcement.

How do you get the eagle back after the flight?

At the end of the flight, the eagle lands on a leather disc called a “lure.” Our eagles know that the lure is essentially a magic button for food: when they touch it, they get a big reward. They repeat this routine enough that they know to look for their trainers at the 50-yard line.

We auction these lures off after each game bearing a custom design by our volunteers and, of course, a “signature” from where our eagles grabbed it. Our staff loves seeing where our eagles choose to leave their mark on this truly unique gameday memorabilia.

What do you feed the eagles?

Our eagles receive a nutritionally complete diet of thawed, whole prey items. We mimic what they would naturally eat in the wild, such as mice, rats, rabbits, quail, and even fish.

We do not feed them live prey; this is to minimize the risk of injury or exposure to bacteria. Our imprint eagles, meaning those that associate people with food, don’t know how to hunt, much less what to do with live prey. That’s why they live with us and our skilled staff of avian “chefs.”

Like humans, some of our birds do have food preferences; they may prefer certain prey types, cuts of food, or even specific red organs. Bon Appetit!

How do you determine which eagle flies during each game?

We alternate between flying Aurea, War Eagle VIII, and Indy, our bald eagle. Typically, the eagles choose who’s flying; we look to see who has their game face on an hour before kickoff. If both eagles seem eager to fly, we may make a choice based on the nature of the game. Indy is more likely to show up for military appreciation games, for example, whereas Aurea is more likely to fly during bigger games.

Do your eagles have different personalities?

Though certain dispositions and behaviors can be chalked up to their species, each of our eagles have drastically different personalities from one another. Aurea, War Eagle VIII, tends to be more reserved and poised. She is more of a direct, almost strategic flier. Indy is more high-energy and talkative.

Why do you release the eagle from different points in Jordan-Hare?

Before kickoff, we determine a release point based on wind direction. We could release them from Section 46, 12, or the flagpole. Our eagles have incredible wingspans of up to six and a half feet, so having them fly with the wind—rather than into it—ensures a smooth and effortless glide down to centerfield.

How do you make sure that the eagle doesn’t fly off?

Believe it or not, we don’t! Though our eagles are well-trained, they are still wild animals. If they wanted to, they could leave the stadium at any point. We don’t even control the length or pattern of their flight; we only control when we run out to center field with that lure to call them down.

On the off chance that the wind sweeps them away or the unexpected happens, we also equip our eagles with two types of transmitters: GPS and telemetry. This ensures that we’re able to locate our birds and call them back home.

Where does the eagle live the rest of the time?

At the Auburn University Raptor Center, located just minutes from campus. The center houses over 20 non-releasable birds of prey and rehabilitates hundreds of injured wild raptors every year. We are able to provide care of these incredible birds through federal and state permitting.

If you want to ever visit our eagles in their home, you can book a tour with us to see them—and our other educational ambassadors at the Auburn University Raptor Center.

What do the eagles do when they’re not flying?

The pre-game flights are just a fraction of our eagles’ educational wingspan. Our facility participates in over 300 outreach programs per year to schools, organizations, and other similar educational events. Our eagles are frequent participants in this outreach and empower us to inspire tomorrow’s conservationists.