Southeastern Raptor Center

The Southeastern Raptor Center is an educational and rehabilitation program and has treated and released thousands of birds of prey back into the wild.

With a bold vision for the future focused on research collaborations, expanded outreach opportunities and plans to build a new home for its resident raptors, the center is poised to boost tourism and further elevate the Auburn brand, while bolstering its mission committed to raptor rehabilitation, education and conservation. 

Five decades of steady growth, the rehabilitation and release of thousands of injured raptors, and a vibrant educational program promoting raptors to countless participants has the Auburn University Raptor Center as one of the most visible areas of both campus and its home unit, the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine.

2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the Auburn University Raptor Center and, as we embark on the journey that is our next 50 years, we will continue to grow our reputation as a national leader in raptor medicine and research, and as a One Health collaborator. We are poised to make the center one of the preeminent academic raptor centers in the nation and plans are underway to house it in an expanded world-class facility. This will allow us to better achieve our goals, increase our capacity and improve our standard of care, while offering visitors an outstanding experience that is uniquely Auburn.

The Auburn University Raptor Center, a division of the College of Veterinary Medicine, is a rehabilitation and education facility providing critical education, rehabilitation and conservation efforts for raptors. Our mission is to provide the highest quality medical care and rehabilitation for wild raptors, support raptor conservation efforts, expand the public’s knowledge about raptors, inspire their passion for raptor ecosystems and embolden the Auburn spirit.

This mission is realized through collaborating with faculty and staff of the College of Veterinary Medicine; offering quality educational experiences using animal ambassadors; providing rehabilitation services to raptors in need and guidance to the public seeking assistance with injured or orphaned wildlife; providing hands-on experiences for veterinary and undergraduate students while maintaining the highest quality of care; and supporting raptor conservation by participating in relevant research initiatives.

The Auburn University Raptor Center relies heavily on volunteers for much of our operations in both the education and rehabilitation units. There are a wide variety of opportunities for community members and college students to get involved, such as raptor husbandry (cleaning and feeding), educational programs, training birds of prey, avian medicine and data entry.

The education unit needs volunteers to help with carrying-out educational programming and training birds used in these programs. Education unit volunteers must be currently enrolled Auburn University students who can commit to working five times each week.

For those interested in avian medicine and rehabilitation, the rehab unit has openings for both Auburn University student and non-student volunteers. Volunteers must commit to at least one 2-hour shift each week for an entire semester.

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