September 15, 2025 • 21 mins
With a name like Robyn, some might say you’re destined to soar through life, working with all things winged and wonderful.
“Spelled slightly differently, but yes, my life is absolutely for the birds,” said Robyn Miller.
Miller, who was named director of the Auburn University Raptor Center (AURC) this past January, first came to the Plains a decade ago to study 19th century English literature. While earning her doctorate, she volunteered at the center.
“I watched my best friend return a barred owl back to the wild and I was immediately enraptured,” remembered Miller.
Equally as strong as her bird puns is Miller’s goal to strengthen AURC’s conservation, education and rehabilitation efforts. A licensed falconer and naturalist, she’s honored to return to the place that first sparked her avian passion.
“When I saw this job open up, I saw an incredible opportunity to give back to the facility that started it all,” she said.
Meanwhile, if AURC’s administrative coordinator Andrew Hopkins looks familiar, it’s probably because he is.
“You have no idea how many Christmas cards I've been on over the years,” joked Hopkins.
Hopkins began his journey with AURC in 2007 while an undergraduate student. By 2011, he had earned his bachelor's degree in zoology. He, along with a slew of AURC’s dedicated volunteers, works tirelessly during the summer months at Jordan-Hare Stadium training the center’s eagles for their iconic pre-game flights.
“We're just out there winging it every day, every single day,” laughed Hopkins. “Seriously though, lots of repetition and positive reinforcement. They literally start drooling when they see that field.”
Together, Hopkins and Miller spearhead the center’s day-to-day operations in partnership with Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
“We provide rehabilitation for about 300 injured or orphaned raptors each year and also travel extensively across the Southeast teaching about conservation,” Miller said.
That mission has taken on a milestone this year as AURC celebrates 25 years of pre-game eagle flights in Jordan-Hare Stadium – a tradition many argue is the greatest in all of college football.
“There's nothing like the energy in Jordan-Hare on gameday, especially when those eagles take flight,” Miller said.
This football season, Aurea, a golden eagle and War Eagle VIII, and Independence, a bald eagle, are keeping the 25-year tradition alive. The anniversary is being celebrated with a philanthropic campaign for center improvements in hopes of turning it into a more zoological-type facility.
“This is an invitation for the community and the Auburn Family to rally behind this tradition,” Miller said. “We're trying to shine a light on how those War Eagle flights really carry on their wings the entire Raptor Center.”
The center also continues to host its popular Football, Fans and Feathers events on Fridays at 4 p.m. CT before every home football game.
The bonus? At the show’s conclusion, they bring all the birds back out for attendees to get plenty of new family photos.
And who doesn't need a good Christmas card picture, right?
Check out our Everything Auburn Podcast Hub here!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Hello Auburn Family.
Welcome to EverythingAuburn, the podcast.
We speak to our memberof the Auburn Family
every single month.
This timewe have a special episode
because we don't have one memberof the Auburn Family, but two,
we have Robyn Millerand Andrew Hopkins
with the Raptor Center.
Welcome to everything Auburn.
Thank you, thank you. War Eagle!War Eagle indeed.
War Eagle I've been wantingto have this podcast for a while
(00:26):
because Raptor Centeris objectively so cool.
I can think of so many memoriesI've had watching the
eagle fly around the stadium.
But I have to startwith the most pressing question
I've been wanting to asksince we've had it.
And so I found outyou guys are going
to be podcast.
I want to ask one question.
One question only. Robynhave you been destined to
work with birds your entire lifebecause of your name?
(00:47):
Yes, it's just from birth.
You will like birds.
I often tell my parentsthat they know
or should have knownwhat they were
getting themselves intowhen they named me, I just.
What?
I found outthat your name was Robin.
You were with representative.
Like how perfect.
You're named after bird.
Wonderful.
It's spelledslightly differently.
So you have alevel of separation
that is named after a bird.
(01:08):
But my life is absolutelyfor the birds.
Wonderful, wonderful.
And then, Andrew,you've been here with working
for the Raptor Centerfor forever.
I recognize you almost as muchas I recognize the birds.
I've been seeing you around herefor years.
I have some of their stafflike to say,
to the new volunteersthat when the Raptor Center
broke ground, they just found meout there at the Raptor.
They're just out in the woods,and I just said, yeah,
bring it on.
(01:29):
Well, welcome.
I know we're getting readyto gear up for a new football
season, which, you know, isone of the more public things
you guys do atthe Raptor Center.
But you're doingthings all year round.
What?
Just walk me through.
What's the preseason?
I'm really curious.
What's pre-seasonlook like for for
for the Raptor Center?
I know what the preseasonlooks like
for the football players.
You got fall trainingsummer camp.
Are you doing thatwith the birds still to practice
(01:49):
every how often?
Tell me everything.
I don't know anything.
I have a film degree.
Not intelligent on the subject.
Well,we start training in the summer.
Our Eagles trainjust like athletes.
So five days a week they're outand Jordan Hare flying 1
to 3 times a day, building upthat fitness, that confidence.
(02:10):
When it's especially hotduring the summer,
we tend to start them backat our facility
and the amphitheateruntil we see them
regain that eagerness,get their game faces
on, as it were.
And then we transitionback out to the football field.
I've heard a rumorthat Ari does not like the heat.
I'm sure you want to talk about.
Neither do I either. Yes.
(02:31):
So I guess Ari and Iare the same in that aspect.
But yeah, Golden eagles aren'treally found here in Alabama.
Sure.
Like, will migrateinto Alabama in the winter,
but very few of them.
And so last time we'll take ita little bit slower
with the Golden Eaglesin their training.
So I mean historicallyyou'll see bald eagles flying
early in the season.
And then we can work in our areaor whichever golden eagle
we might have.
(02:51):
That's partof the summer training.
Yeah. Get back used to it.
Yeah getting hera little bit more acclimated.
But we'dcertainly take into account
their natural history.
They're adaptedfor cooler climates.
There are Boone and Eagles,so they have feathers
going all the way to their feetto help keep them warm.
And if they are in the heat,they're used to more arid
weather.
Not this Auburn,Alabama humidity.
(03:13):
I didn't knowit was humid in Alabama.
Who would have guessed it would?
I think would have guessed.
Well, one questionI really love to ask.
And you know, you guys can rock,paper, scissors out.
Who wrote first?
I don't know,but I'd love to know
people's auburn story. Right.
And you guys havesuch interesting
jobs, interesting careersand life that led you to
where you are now.
But I would love to know.
I guessyou know what I'm going to.
(03:33):
I asked you the first question.
The hard question, the name.
So, Andrew,you're actually first.
I've just decided.
No rock, paper scissors. Yeah.
But how did you get to Auburn?
Tell me.
Tell me what it is.
I'm sure you didn'tactually get found in the woods.
Where the Raptor Center is now.
So I have actually always wantedto work with animals.
Originally I went to workwith tigers.
Big cats is what I've alwayswanted to work with.
Bring it on.
But when I was lookingfor a couch
(03:56):
that had, zoology degree,I was an Alabama resident
living up in Athens, Alabama.
So I saw that Auburnhad a zoology degree, came here.
The way I actually got involvedin the Raptor Center
is I actually had to doan English paper.
And so I chosethe Raptor Center, to do a paper
about write about what?
You know, yeah.
I just,you know, followed them around.
They invited me toone of their eagle practices
(04:17):
in the morning, and afterwards,I just had to ask them,
you know, how do Ihow do I become a volunteer?
So other volunteers, I was like,how do I start this?
And, they couldn't get rid of meafter ever since then.
That's awesome.
I love that, that's passion.
You know.
Do you still have that paper?
Oh, gosh.
I would like it.
Maybe digital somewhere.
I'm not sure.
I.
I'd love to take a look at it.
(04:38):
Just out of curiosity,I don't know if I want
the English personfor reading my paper
as part of youryearly performance review.
That paper will be analyzed.
I'll just slide itacross the table to you.
New gradeevery year as you revise.
And then, Robyn,you're coming up on about a year
working herewith the Raptor Center, right.
Or a little bit over.
But under I,they're under January
(04:59):
started in January.
Oh, okay.
Well, so this will be your firstfootball season.
It will be once. Director.
Okay. Band.
What a time. Yes.
I am beyond excitedto experience that.
And there'snothing like the energy
and Jordan here on game day,especially when those Eagles
take flight.
I mean you are correct.
So how did you get to Auburn.
Tell me your journey and youryour your path here to Auburn.
(05:22):
So speaking of English,I came to Auburn to study
19th century Englishliterature for a PhD program.
Its natural lead in to raptors.
Oh, absolutely.
There was a huge part of my soulthat was already dedicated
to Birds of Prey.
When I was a kid,I read my side of the mountain.
I had this book that had a,centerfold about falconry,
(05:46):
and that was one ofthe earliest memories
I had of looking backand recognizing
a part of myself. Oh, wow.
So my study, of revolves around19th century avian ecologies,
which is a fancy way of sayingI was looking at
how Victorians looked at birds.
Okay.
And while I was in the program,one of my peers and best friends
(06:07):
invited me outto a Raptor release.
And when she found outhow much I loved birds
and I was immediatelyand captured, just enraptured.
Okay, okay, I see how it is.
I see how it isover here with you guys.
Try working with this every day.
I see how it is.
Yeah,it's a bunch of goofs over here.
I see, I get it,Andrew is very patient
(06:28):
with the bunch, I see.
I don't like it.
We're just out herewinging it every day.
Every single day.
I took a geology coursewhen I was here.
It was because I was a student.
And, I have,I've been older than most
to use rock punsas often as I can.
You just can't take themfor granted.
Boulder.
They're my favorite.
And so I started volunteeringafter that experience
(06:51):
because I was mesmerized.
I watched my best friend returna barred owl back to the wild,
and there were twoeducational birds
at that release as well.
So just calmly sittingon their handler's gloves.
And it was kind of silly,but I sent this long application
to thethen at the time, assistant
director of rehabilitation,listing the species
(07:12):
that I could recognize listinglike my previous experience
with the animal handlingsuper nerd it out.
And over the course of my PhD,I started to
realize more and more how muchworking with birds
combined every elementof my heart and soul.
Oh wow.
So when it came timeto apply for jobs,
(07:33):
I called my dad upand I said, dad, I'm
thinking about applyingto this Raptor center
I found in Tennessee.
What do you haveto say about that?
And I was expecting,are you sure?
Like thismay not be the best career
path or choice for you,but without hesitation, he said
go for it. Oh, that's good.
(07:54):
And the rest is history.
I started working onanother raptor facility
as an avian care specialist,help them develop
a new facility.
And then when I sawthis job open up,
I saw an incredible opportunityto give back to the facility
that started it all.
Oh, that's so cool.
I always find, one of the mostinteresting things.
I have a very unique careerwhere I get to go to all these
(08:16):
different touch points.
The university. Right?
I get to see this little thing.
I get a little bit,you know, enraptured in it.
Right, for a couple weeks.
And then I had todo something else. Right.
But I get to see all of people'spassions on campus
and I think peoplebeing passionate about what they
do is just the mostengaging thing I
can ever, I just ever see.
And I really love to watchpeople who love what they do.
We spend a lot of time,obviously,
(08:37):
the very public elementof the Raptor Center
or the Eagle Flight, right.
But that is sevenSaturdays in the fall.
There are 300.
I'm not good at math and 40 someother days of the year
the are still workingwith the birds doing things
and you do other flights.
I know you've done some thingsat baseball
occasionally as well,but you have, educational tours
you guys have at your facilityand you're always there.
(08:58):
Care of the birds.
What's kind of the more outsideof those seven
Saturdays in the fall?
What are the other 340,50 days of the year
kind of look like feel.
So we have two departments.
We have our educational outreachand we also have
our rehabilitation hospital.
So as a division of the Collegeof Veterinary Medicine,
we provide rehabilitation forabout 300 patients each year.
(09:23):
These are injured,orphaned or ill raptors
that are brought to our centerthat we provide care
for with the intentionof returning to the wild.
And our educational outreachprogram offers
about the same number,ironically, 300 programs a year.
They travelall across the South.
If we can drive there,we will bring birds to you
(09:44):
to share our passion,to teach about conservation
and highlight our mission.
That's so cool. So I do have to.
I am curious, because I wasthinking about this
when we were walking over hereand we were talking about it.
Personal life.
You know, you live with animals.
I've, I've met other peoplewho do this kind of work before
falconry,who have like their own
personal animalsthey care for as well.
That's someI assume that's something
(10:05):
you guys havereally gotten into.
This one.
You're pointing tothis one here? Yeah.
Not me, not you.
When you got enough,you clock in clock out.
When I go home,I don't want to take
care of animals.
I just want to fire up the grilland start smoking up
some meat or something.
I love that, but you have some,birds of your own.
I am not currently.
Okay, but I am a falconer,so effectively, what I do is
(10:26):
I trap a first yearor juvenile passage
bird from the wild.
I train them to hunt with me,and at the end of our time
together, I return them tothe wild as an accomplished
and healthy bird.
And this is a.
That is the singlecoolest sentence
I think I've ever heardon the podcast.
I don't want to disparageour former guest,
(10:47):
but that might bethe coolest thing
I've ever heard and iscertainly a passion of mine.
One of my favorite authors,Stephen Brody, calls it a range,
and I think that'sa little bit accurate.
Okay.
Because it's somethingyou think about all the time.
You dreamabout being with the birds,
you think about training plans.
You think abouthow to elevate them to the level
(11:09):
they need to beto thrive on their own
and be and contributeto the local population.
That is, that's just, I justI don't understand how people
train dogs to hunt with them.
I can't even imaginehow you would even begin
to train a birdto hunt with you.
Like that's that's fine.
(11:30):
That's cool, that's awesome.
Okay, I just I'm justprocessing, processing,
swallowing that information.
That's okay.
Some other things that I thinkwould be really interesting
to speak with you guys about is,I learned something,
about a month or two ago,maybe longer,
that we're coming upon the 25th year of Eagle
flights at football games.
(11:51):
And the craziest stat about thatis it's only been going on
for 25 years,because in my head,
we've been doing thatsince the 40s.
It's been going on forever.
And I did not know that.
It's only been since 2000that has been going on, truly.
And you've been herefor most of it.
I know he has been out.
I think about it.
You've been for at leastabout half of it.
You've been through it.
That is, any particularthrough your 12 years doing it?
(12:13):
12, 12 years.
Right.
13 I think this is my 13th.
This will be your 13 season.
Any particular memoriesthat kind of thought that
that come to mind?
Think of 13 years of 25 years.
Eagle flights, 13 yearsyou've been doing it?
There's definitelysome memories.
Some of them arebetter than others.
Oh, I'm sure some of themwere a little bit
more stressful.
But definitelyone of the one of the good ones
is August 1st flight. Oh, yeah.
(12:34):
So, I mean,that was really special for me
to be able to take her from,you know, a wild golden eagle
to nowflying in front of almost 90,000
people in the stadium.
How simple.
Simplify it for myfor my smooth brain,
if you will.
How do you go from a wild bird?
It's always a wild animal.
It's never not fully wild,I would assume, but to trained
(12:55):
well enough to do thatwith 90,000 people there
screaming, there's fireworksnot get the same moment,
but there's likethere's a chaos around
to just be ableto do that effectively
with such highefficacy as you guys do.
It doesn't understand,it doesn't compute in my brain.
Yeah.
So lots of training,lots of repetition,
positive reinforcement.
(13:15):
You know, one of the jokesI always like to make is
people will ask us, you know,do we practice with
sound in the stadiumto get them used to game day,
which we don't.
It's a really silent.
I would assume you wouldcompletely silent.
But the jokeI always like to make is,
you know, if you thinkthe stadium is loud,
try pulling out an eaglein front of
like a kindergarten class.
It's about the same value.
Oh, those brick walls too. Yeah.
(13:36):
So just that constant,those three educational shows
we do a year,they just constantly
are exposed to that noiseand they just kind
of tune it out.
Now it's it's with them.
It's just another day.
It's just 90,000people happen to be
watching that day.
So it's just that repetitionof getting them in the stadium
every single day practicing.
They literallywill start drooling
when they see the field.
(13:56):
Yeah.
They're just so trained thatPavlov's dog.
And they're so trainedthey know that that's
where they're going to get fedthat day.
I did want to mentionas part of that 25 years you're,
you're starting afundraiser as well.
You know Raptor CenterI can only imagine 300 eagle
or eagles, 300 animals.
You take care of the year.
Funding is a big part of that.
If you could this this,special 25 year
(14:18):
anniversary fundraiser.
You guys are kind ofkicking off here
with football season.
You could speak a little bitabout that. Yeah.
So this is an invitationfor the community
and Auburn familyto rally behind this tradition.
And invite them to participatein our wider mission as well.
We're trying to shine a light onhow those War Eagle flights
(14:39):
really carry on their wings.
The entire Raptor Center.
So each yearwe spend about $150,000
in medical care for our birds.
We spend about $70,000on their diets.
It is a celebrationof where we're coming from
with the flights.
As much as we're looking forwardand setting ourselves up for,
(15:03):
the next 25 years with thehopes of soaring even higher,
that's wonderful.
Well, I am looking forwardto seeing,
what this season brings.
I'm looking forwardto many Eagle flights.
It is truly,I'm a bit biased, I will admit,
but I've seen a lotof cool things in sports I have.
I used to work at Clemson,which I know where
(15:24):
you get your PhD.
I've seen the Hill run.
It's really cool.
However, there is nothing coolerthan the Eagle flight.
There's not.
I stand by thatand again, I'm biased, whatever.
That is the single coolest thingin sports, period.
But bar none,if we're seeing anybody go,
any of our listeners go to,get more information
and you have a websiteand, you know, you're part
(15:45):
college of that med.
So obviously vet medstudents have a know
all about you guys,but want to learn
more information,get to know you guys.
Come see you.
Where would be a great placeto go for that
Albany edu slash Raptor.
I love you guys being trained.
This is great.
You guys are so great.
This is awesome.
I can also give a shout outto our social media.
So we're constantly doingpatient highlights,
(16:06):
program highlights,sharing the stories
of the Raptorsthat call our facility home
or are temporarily staying thereuntil they can
return to the wild.
So it's a great wayto connect with us
and see those behindthe scenes working.
The other,you know, days of the year
when we're not flyingour Eagles at football.
You know, it is weird.
It's like it is very public,but only it's
(16:28):
only a handful days a year.
It isthe job is is a year round job.
But, as part of our 25 yearanniversary fundraiser,
what's the pipe dream?
The vision, the hope?
Who knows what the futurewill hold, right?
But what's kind of the directionyou're hoping to take
the Auburn UniversityRaptor Center
with with this fundraiser.
We're hoping to usethis as a launchpad
(16:49):
for making that master planthat we've been talking about
and to a reality.
Our goal is to returnto the days
where the public can comeand visit us freely.
See the aviary, see the birds,walk through the War
Eagle Museum, and, of course,join us
for a educational programand an indoor amphitheater
(17:10):
and an outdoor amphitheater.
Wonderful.
We need to find the next Andrewthat's going to be there
for the next 20, 30 years.
Right.
We got to break groundto kind of find that.
Yeah, we gottawe gotta find the next one
wandering out there.
One of the most common questionswe get is from alumni saying,
you know, I rememberwhen I used to go to Auburn
and I could just walk pastthe Eagle every single day.
(17:30):
We were just talkingabout earlier.
We may literally be rightwhere the Eagle used to be.
Yeah, right here in the studio.
You're honestly probably right.
We were just talkingabout earlier
that that's kind of been like,people don't even realize that
I didn't I never I wasn't aroundwhen that was like that.
But it's, it was so coolthat that was
you're able to do thatthat that'd be awesome. Yeah.
So we want to get back to thatright now.
Our facility facilityjust wasn't built in a way
(17:52):
to allow the publicto just come in
kind of whenever they want.
We just don't reallyhave that separation
between public accessand where we keep our raptors.
So the new master planwould really allow
more of a zoological,type facility
where people could just come inand Tuesday
afternoon, let's do it. Yep.
Yeah, I love that.
And then as as wellnow I'm just going to I'm
(18:13):
going to shamelessly read itbecause I really am
going to get the lettersmixed up here.
All right.
The football fansand feathers events that we do,
you guys doas well as part of that.
I know it's kind of it'snot exactly a permanent
structure place,but it is a good way
to introduce people to be aroundpeople, football
fans and feathers.
What's what is itpeople can expect to
get out of those events?
It is an incredibleBird of Prey show.
(18:33):
So we will flyour educational ambassadors
right over your headswhile teaching you
about their natural historyand how you can join us
in their conservation.
It's every Fridayfor for home game.
Gates open at 3 p.m..
The show starts at 4 p.m..
We invite you tocome out and see it,
because it's trulyone of a kind.
And a bonusis that at the end of the show,
(18:54):
we bring all the birds back outso we could get a
new family photo for your mantlewith the War Eagle
and with our othereducational ambassadors as well.
Who doesn't needa good Christmas card photo?
You have no ideahow many Christmas cards
I've been in over the years.
I get told that all the time.
How many fridges do you thinkyou have been on drew?
Just a lot and it's just a mind.
(19:16):
I just shake people's hands.
The one time I went tothe actually
the athletic auctionfor Under Armor, not auction,
but the surplus salefor Under Armor and some guy
turned aroundto talk to his wife,
and he looked at me and he said,how do I know you?
I said,probably with the Raptor Center.
He said, that's it.
I got a photo of youon my fridge.
So that's what it is like.
You walk in and it's like,you know, we we
(19:38):
this is our first timewe've officially
formally met, right?
But I'mI, I've known you forever
because I see you all the time.
Right?
I recognize you so clearlybecause I see you at every game
and that.
Yeah.
No, you've beenin a lot of Christmas cards.
Photos.
Oh, he hasa lot of family photos.
A lot of,family newsletter email blast.
Go out.
Look what we did this weekend.
And there's Andrew.
(19:59):
Well, I want to saythank you guys
for joining so much.
I appreciateyou spending some time
with us and looking forwardto seeing you guys
on the sidelines this year.
A lot of wins bring, you know,bring some
good luck to the team.
Looking forward to it.
And good luckwith your fundraiser
and looking forwardto the 50th anniversary of Eagle
Flight here.
Oh yes.
Andrew and I may still be aroundthen Andrew will be for sure
(20:19):
is a joy that 100%.
I know that for again,I'm just waiting for
the statue of me to be builtduring the master plan.
Yeah, that's the next one.
That's the nextwe're going to get
maybe right next to Abbyin front of Student Center.
Just photo of me.
The statue, at least the name onthe building for that.
I'll put in a goodword for you there.
Yeah. For sure.
Well, I appreciate you guysspending some time with us.
And I want tothank you for listening.
(20:40):
We're looking forward toeverything
we're going to do this year.
This is seasonthree, episode one.
We're looking forwardto another Year
of Awesome podcast.
And if I can humblebrag for a moment,
an award winning podcast now.
So shout out toshout to the podcast.
Shout outto Kim, our researcher off
screen here.
But, I want to thank youfor listening.
Looking forward to anothergreat year of podcasting.
(21:01):
We'll be back againnext month with another member
of the Auburn family.
And until then, War Eagle!War Eagle!
Hello Auburn Family.
Welcome to EverythingAuburn, the podcast.
We speak to our memberof the Auburn Family
every single month.
This timewe have a special episode
because we don't have one memberof the Auburn Family, but two,
we have Robyn Millerand Andrew Hopkins
with the Raptor Center.
Welcome to everything Auburn.
Thank you, thank you. War Eagle!War Eagle indeed.
War Eagle I've been wantingto have this podcast for a while
(00:26):
because Raptor Centeris objectively so cool.
I can think of so many memoriesI've had watching the
eagle fly around the stadium.
But I have to startwith the most pressing question
I've been wanting to asksince we've had it.
And so I found outyou guys are going
to be podcast.
I want to ask one question.
One question only. Robynhave you been destined to
work with birds your entire lifebecause of your name?
(00:47):
Yes, it's just from birth.
You will like birds.
I often tell my parentsthat they know
or should have knownwhat they were
getting themselves intowhen they named me, I just.
What?
I found outthat your name was Robin.
You were with representative.
Like how perfect.
You're named after bird.
Wonderful.
It's spelledslightly differently.
So you have alevel of separation
that is named after a bird.
(01:08):
But my life is absolutelyfor the birds.
Wonderful, wonderful.
And then, Andrew,you've been here with working
for the Raptor Centerfor forever.
I recognize you almost as muchas I recognize the birds.
I've been seeing you around herefor years.
I have some of their stafflike to say,
to the new volunteersthat when the Raptor Center
broke ground, they just found meout there at the Raptor.
They're just out in the woods,and I just said, yeah,
bring it on.
(01:29):
Well, welcome.
I know we're getting readyto gear up for a new football
season, which, you know, isone of the more public things
you guys do atthe Raptor Center.
But you're doingthings all year round.
What?
Just walk me through.
What's the preseason?
I'm really curious.
What's pre-seasonlook like for for
for the Raptor Center?
I know what the preseasonlooks like
for the football players.
You got fall trainingsummer camp.
Are you doing thatwith the birds still to practice
(01:49):
every how often?
Tell me everything.
I don't know anything.
I have a film degree.
Not intelligent on the subject.
Well,we start training in the summer.
Our Eagles trainjust like athletes.
So five days a week they're outand Jordan Hare flying 1
to 3 times a day, building upthat fitness, that confidence.
(02:10):
When it's especially hotduring the summer,
we tend to start them backat our facility
and the amphitheateruntil we see them
regain that eagerness,get their game faces
on, as it were.
And then we transitionback out to the football field.
I've heard a rumorthat Ari does not like the heat.
I'm sure you want to talk about.
Neither do I either. Yes.
(02:31):
So I guess Ari and Iare the same in that aspect.
But yeah, Golden eagles aren'treally found here in Alabama.
Sure.
Like, will migrateinto Alabama in the winter,
but very few of them.
And so last time we'll take ita little bit slower
with the Golden Eaglesin their training.
So I mean historicallyyou'll see bald eagles flying
early in the season.
And then we can work in our areaor whichever golden eagle
we might have.
(02:51):
That's partof the summer training.
Yeah. Get back used to it.
Yeah getting hera little bit more acclimated.
But we'dcertainly take into account
their natural history.
They're adaptedfor cooler climates.
There are Boone and Eagles,so they have feathers
going all the way to their feetto help keep them warm.
And if they are in the heat,they're used to more arid
weather.
Not this Auburn,Alabama humidity.
(03:13):
I didn't knowit was humid in Alabama.
Who would have guessed it would?
I think would have guessed.
Well, one questionI really love to ask.
And you know, you guys can rock,paper, scissors out.
Who wrote first?
I don't know,but I'd love to know
people's auburn story. Right.
And you guys havesuch interesting
jobs, interesting careersand life that led you to
where you are now.
But I would love to know.
I guessyou know what I'm going to.
(03:33):
I asked you the first question.
The hard question, the name.
So, Andrew,you're actually first.
I've just decided.
No rock, paper scissors. Yeah.
But how did you get to Auburn?
Tell me.
Tell me what it is.
I'm sure you didn'tactually get found in the woods.
Where the Raptor Center is now.
So I have actually always wantedto work with animals.
Originally I went to workwith tigers.
Big cats is what I've alwayswanted to work with.
Bring it on.
But when I was lookingfor a couch
(03:56):
that had, zoology degree,I was an Alabama resident
living up in Athens, Alabama.
So I saw that Auburnhad a zoology degree, came here.
The way I actually got involvedin the Raptor Center
is I actually had to doan English paper.
And so I chosethe Raptor Center, to do a paper
about write about what?
You know, yeah.
I just,you know, followed them around.
They invited me toone of their eagle practices
(04:17):
in the morning, and afterwards,I just had to ask them,
you know, how do Ihow do I become a volunteer?
So other volunteers, I was like,how do I start this?
And, they couldn't get rid of meafter ever since then.
That's awesome.
I love that, that's passion.
You know.
Do you still have that paper?
Oh, gosh.
I would like it.
Maybe digital somewhere.
I'm not sure.
I.
I'd love to take a look at it.
(04:38):
Just out of curiosity,I don't know if I want
the English personfor reading my paper
as part of youryearly performance review.
That paper will be analyzed.
I'll just slide itacross the table to you.
New gradeevery year as you revise.
And then, Robyn,you're coming up on about a year
working herewith the Raptor Center, right.
Or a little bit over.
But under I,they're under January
(04:59):
started in January.
Oh, okay.
Well, so this will be your firstfootball season.
It will be once. Director.
Okay. Band.
What a time. Yes.
I am beyond excitedto experience that.
And there'snothing like the energy
and Jordan here on game day,especially when those Eagles
take flight.
I mean you are correct.
So how did you get to Auburn.
Tell me your journey and youryour your path here to Auburn.
(05:22):
So speaking of English,I came to Auburn to study
19th century Englishliterature for a PhD program.
Its natural lead in to raptors.
Oh, absolutely.
There was a huge part of my soulthat was already dedicated
to Birds of Prey.
When I was a kid,I read my side of the mountain.
I had this book that had a,centerfold about falconry,
(05:46):
and that was one ofthe earliest memories
I had of looking backand recognizing
a part of myself. Oh, wow.
So my study, of revolves around19th century avian ecologies,
which is a fancy way of sayingI was looking at
how Victorians looked at birds.
Okay.
And while I was in the program,one of my peers and best friends
(06:07):
invited me outto a Raptor release.
And when she found outhow much I loved birds
and I was immediatelyand captured, just enraptured.
Okay, okay, I see how it is.
I see how it isover here with you guys.
Try working with this every day.
I see how it is.
Yeah,it's a bunch of goofs over here.
I see, I get it,Andrew is very patient
(06:28):
with the bunch, I see.
I don't like it.
We're just out herewinging it every day.
Every single day.
I took a geology coursewhen I was here.
It was because I was a student.
And, I have,I've been older than most
to use rock punsas often as I can.
You just can't take themfor granted.
Boulder.
They're my favorite.
And so I started volunteeringafter that experience
(06:51):
because I was mesmerized.
I watched my best friend returna barred owl back to the wild,
and there were twoeducational birds
at that release as well.
So just calmly sittingon their handler's gloves.
And it was kind of silly,but I sent this long application
to thethen at the time, assistant
director of rehabilitation,listing the species
(07:12):
that I could recognize listinglike my previous experience
with the animal handlingsuper nerd it out.
And over the course of my PhD,I started to
realize more and more how muchworking with birds
combined every elementof my heart and soul.
Oh wow.
So when it came timeto apply for jobs,
(07:33):
I called my dad upand I said, dad, I'm
thinking about applyingto this Raptor center
I found in Tennessee.
What do you haveto say about that?
And I was expecting,are you sure?
Like thismay not be the best career
path or choice for you,but without hesitation, he said
go for it. Oh, that's good.
(07:54):
And the rest is history.
I started working onanother raptor facility
as an avian care specialist,help them develop
a new facility.
And then when I sawthis job open up,
I saw an incredible opportunityto give back to the facility
that started it all.
Oh, that's so cool.
I always find, one of the mostinteresting things.
I have a very unique careerwhere I get to go to all these
(08:16):
different touch points.
The university. Right?
I get to see this little thing.
I get a little bit,you know, enraptured in it.
Right, for a couple weeks.
And then I had todo something else. Right.
But I get to see all of people'spassions on campus
and I think peoplebeing passionate about what they
do is just the mostengaging thing I
can ever, I just ever see.
And I really love to watchpeople who love what they do.
We spend a lot of time,obviously,
(08:37):
the very public elementof the Raptor Center
or the Eagle Flight, right.
But that is sevenSaturdays in the fall.
There are 300.
I'm not good at math and 40 someother days of the year
the are still workingwith the birds doing things
and you do other flights.
I know you've done some thingsat baseball
occasionally as well,but you have, educational tours
you guys have at your facilityand you're always there.
(08:58):
Care of the birds.
What's kind of the more outsideof those seven
Saturdays in the fall?
What are the other 340,50 days of the year
kind of look like feel.
So we have two departments.
We have our educational outreachand we also have
our rehabilitation hospital.
So as a division of the Collegeof Veterinary Medicine,
we provide rehabilitation forabout 300 patients each year.
(09:23):
These are injured,orphaned or ill raptors
that are brought to our centerthat we provide care
for with the intentionof returning to the wild.
And our educational outreachprogram offers
about the same number,ironically, 300 programs a year.
They travelall across the South.
If we can drive there,we will bring birds to you
(09:44):
to share our passion,to teach about conservation
and highlight our mission.
That's so cool. So I do have to.
I am curious, because I wasthinking about this
when we were walking over hereand we were talking about it.
Personal life.
You know, you live with animals.
I've, I've met other peoplewho do this kind of work before
falconry,who have like their own
personal animalsthey care for as well.
That's someI assume that's something
(10:05):
you guys havereally gotten into.
This one.
You're pointing tothis one here? Yeah.
Not me, not you.
When you got enough,you clock in clock out.
When I go home,I don't want to take
care of animals.
I just want to fire up the grilland start smoking up
some meat or something.
I love that, but you have some,birds of your own.
I am not currently.
Okay, but I am a falconer,so effectively, what I do is
(10:26):
I trap a first yearor juvenile passage
bird from the wild.
I train them to hunt with me,and at the end of our time
together, I return them tothe wild as an accomplished
and healthy bird.
And this is a.
That is the singlecoolest sentence
I think I've ever heardon the podcast.
I don't want to disparageour former guest,
(10:47):
but that might bethe coolest thing
I've ever heard and iscertainly a passion of mine.
One of my favorite authors,Stephen Brody, calls it a range,
and I think that'sa little bit accurate.
Okay.
Because it's somethingyou think about all the time.
You dreamabout being with the birds,
you think about training plans.
You think abouthow to elevate them to the level
(11:09):
they need to beto thrive on their own
and be and contributeto the local population.
That is, that's just, I justI don't understand how people
train dogs to hunt with them.
I can't even imaginehow you would even begin
to train a birdto hunt with you.
Like that's that's fine.
(11:30):
That's cool, that's awesome.
Okay, I just I'm justprocessing, processing,
swallowing that information.
That's okay.
Some other things that I thinkwould be really interesting
to speak with you guys about is,I learned something,
about a month or two ago,maybe longer,
that we're coming upon the 25th year of Eagle
flights at football games.
(11:51):
And the craziest stat about thatis it's only been going on
for 25 years,because in my head,
we've been doing thatsince the 40s.
It's been going on forever.
And I did not know that.
It's only been since 2000that has been going on, truly.
And you've been herefor most of it.
I know he has been out.
I think about it.
You've been for at leastabout half of it.
You've been through it.
That is, any particularthrough your 12 years doing it?
(12:13):
12, 12 years.
Right.
13 I think this is my 13th.
This will be your 13 season.
Any particular memoriesthat kind of thought that
that come to mind?
Think of 13 years of 25 years.
Eagle flights, 13 yearsyou've been doing it?
There's definitelysome memories.
Some of them arebetter than others.
Oh, I'm sure some of themwere a little bit
more stressful.
But definitelyone of the one of the good ones
is August 1st flight. Oh, yeah.
(12:34):
So, I mean,that was really special for me
to be able to take her from,you know, a wild golden eagle
to nowflying in front of almost 90,000
people in the stadium.
How simple.
Simplify it for myfor my smooth brain,
if you will.
How do you go from a wild bird?
It's always a wild animal.
It's never not fully wild,I would assume, but to trained
(12:55):
well enough to do thatwith 90,000 people there
screaming, there's fireworksnot get the same moment,
but there's likethere's a chaos around
to just be ableto do that effectively
with such highefficacy as you guys do.
It doesn't understand,it doesn't compute in my brain.
Yeah.
So lots of training,lots of repetition,
positive reinforcement.
(13:15):
You know, one of the jokesI always like to make is
people will ask us, you know,do we practice with
sound in the stadiumto get them used to game day,
which we don't.
It's a really silent.
I would assume you wouldcompletely silent.
But the jokeI always like to make is,
you know, if you thinkthe stadium is loud,
try pulling out an eaglein front of
like a kindergarten class.
It's about the same value.
Oh, those brick walls too. Yeah.
(13:36):
So just that constant,those three educational shows
we do a year,they just constantly
are exposed to that noiseand they just kind
of tune it out.
Now it's it's with them.
It's just another day.
It's just 90,000people happen to be
watching that day.
So it's just that repetitionof getting them in the stadium
every single day practicing.
They literallywill start drooling
when they see the field.
(13:56):
Yeah.
They're just so trained thatPavlov's dog.
And they're so trainedthey know that that's
where they're going to get fedthat day.
I did want to mentionas part of that 25 years you're,
you're starting afundraiser as well.
You know Raptor CenterI can only imagine 300 eagle
or eagles, 300 animals.
You take care of the year.
Funding is a big part of that.
If you could this this,special 25 year
(14:18):
anniversary fundraiser.
You guys are kind ofkicking off here
with football season.
You could speak a little bitabout that. Yeah.
So this is an invitationfor the community
and Auburn familyto rally behind this tradition.
And invite them to participatein our wider mission as well.
We're trying to shine a light onhow those War Eagle flights
(14:39):
really carry on their wings.
The entire Raptor Center.
So each yearwe spend about $150,000
in medical care for our birds.
We spend about $70,000on their diets.
It is a celebrationof where we're coming from
with the flights.
As much as we're looking forwardand setting ourselves up for,
(15:03):
the next 25 years with thehopes of soaring even higher,
that's wonderful.
Well, I am looking forwardto seeing,
what this season brings.
I'm looking forwardto many Eagle flights.
It is truly,I'm a bit biased, I will admit,
but I've seen a lotof cool things in sports I have.
I used to work at Clemson,which I know where
(15:24):
you get your PhD.
I've seen the Hill run.
It's really cool.
However, there is nothing coolerthan the Eagle flight.
There's not.
I stand by thatand again, I'm biased, whatever.
That is the single coolest thingin sports, period.
But bar none,if we're seeing anybody go,
any of our listeners go to,get more information
and you have a websiteand, you know, you're part
(15:45):
college of that med.
So obviously vet medstudents have a know
all about you guys,but want to learn
more information,get to know you guys.
Come see you.
Where would be a great placeto go for that
Albany edu slash Raptor.
I love you guys being trained.
This is great.
You guys are so great.
This is awesome.
I can also give a shout outto our social media.
So we're constantly doingpatient highlights,
(16:06):
program highlights,sharing the stories
of the Raptorsthat call our facility home
or are temporarily staying thereuntil they can
return to the wild.
So it's a great wayto connect with us
and see those behindthe scenes working.
The other,you know, days of the year
when we're not flyingour Eagles at football.
You know, it is weird.
It's like it is very public,but only it's
(16:28):
only a handful days a year.
It isthe job is is a year round job.
But, as part of our 25 yearanniversary fundraiser,
what's the pipe dream?
The vision, the hope?
Who knows what the futurewill hold, right?
But what's kind of the directionyou're hoping to take
the Auburn UniversityRaptor Center
with with this fundraiser.
We're hoping to usethis as a launchpad
(16:49):
for making that master planthat we've been talking about
and to a reality.
Our goal is to returnto the days
where the public can comeand visit us freely.
See the aviary, see the birds,walk through the War
Eagle Museum, and, of course,join us
for a educational programand an indoor amphitheater
(17:10):
and an outdoor amphitheater.
Wonderful.
We need to find the next Andrewthat's going to be there
for the next 20, 30 years.
Right.
We got to break groundto kind of find that.
Yeah, we gottawe gotta find the next one
wandering out there.
One of the most common questionswe get is from alumni saying,
you know, I rememberwhen I used to go to Auburn
and I could just walk pastthe Eagle every single day.
(17:30):
We were just talkingabout earlier.
We may literally be rightwhere the Eagle used to be.
Yeah, right here in the studio.
You're honestly probably right.
We were just talkingabout earlier
that that's kind of been like,people don't even realize that
I didn't I never I wasn't aroundwhen that was like that.
But it's, it was so coolthat that was
you're able to do thatthat that'd be awesome. Yeah.
So we want to get back to thatright now.
Our facility facilityjust wasn't built in a way
(17:52):
to allow the publicto just come in
kind of whenever they want.
We just don't reallyhave that separation
between public accessand where we keep our raptors.
So the new master planwould really allow
more of a zoological,type facility
where people could just come inand Tuesday
afternoon, let's do it. Yep.
Yeah, I love that.
And then as as wellnow I'm just going to I'm
(18:13):
going to shamelessly read itbecause I really am
going to get the lettersmixed up here.
All right.
The football fansand feathers events that we do,
you guys doas well as part of that.
I know it's kind of it'snot exactly a permanent
structure place,but it is a good way
to introduce people to be aroundpeople, football
fans and feathers.
What's what is itpeople can expect to
get out of those events?
It is an incredibleBird of Prey show.
(18:33):
So we will flyour educational ambassadors
right over your headswhile teaching you
about their natural historyand how you can join us
in their conservation.
It's every Fridayfor for home game.
Gates open at 3 p.m..
The show starts at 4 p.m..
We invite you tocome out and see it,
because it's trulyone of a kind.
And a bonusis that at the end of the show,
(18:54):
we bring all the birds back outso we could get a
new family photo for your mantlewith the War Eagle
and with our othereducational ambassadors as well.
Who doesn't needa good Christmas card photo?
You have no ideahow many Christmas cards
I've been in over the years.
I get told that all the time.
How many fridges do you thinkyou have been on drew?
Just a lot and it's just a mind.
(19:16):
I just shake people's hands.
The one time I went tothe actually
the athletic auctionfor Under Armor, not auction,
but the surplus salefor Under Armor and some guy
turned aroundto talk to his wife,
and he looked at me and he said,how do I know you?
I said,probably with the Raptor Center.
He said, that's it.
I got a photo of youon my fridge.
So that's what it is like.
You walk in and it's like,you know, we we
(19:38):
this is our first timewe've officially
formally met, right?
But I'mI, I've known you forever
because I see you all the time.
Right?
I recognize you so clearlybecause I see you at every game
and that.
Yeah.
No, you've beenin a lot of Christmas cards.
Photos.
Oh, he hasa lot of family photos.
A lot of,family newsletter email blast.
Go out.
Look what we did this weekend.
And there's Andrew.
(19:59):
Well, I want to saythank you guys
for joining so much.
I appreciateyou spending some time
with us and looking forwardto seeing you guys
on the sidelines this year.
A lot of wins bring, you know,bring some
good luck to the team.
Looking forward to it.
And good luckwith your fundraiser
and looking forwardto the 50th anniversary of Eagle
Flight here.
Oh yes.
Andrew and I may still be aroundthen Andrew will be for sure
(20:19):
is a joy that 100%.
I know that for again,I'm just waiting for
the statue of me to be builtduring the master plan.
Yeah, that's the next one.
That's the nextwe're going to get
maybe right next to Abbyin front of Student Center.
Just photo of me.
The statue, at least the name onthe building for that.
I'll put in a goodword for you there.
Yeah. For sure.
Well, I appreciate you guysspending some time with us.
And I want tothank you for listening.
(20:40):
We're looking forward toeverything
we're going to do this year.
This is seasonthree, episode one.
We're looking forwardto another Year
of Awesome podcast.
And if I can humblebrag for a moment,
an award winning podcast now.
So shout out toshout to the podcast.
Shout outto Kim, our researcher off
screen here.
But, I want to thank youfor listening.
Looking forward to anothergreat year of podcasting.
(21:01):
We'll be back againnext month with another member
of the Auburn family.
And until then, War Eagle!War Eagle!
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