Protect
Rehabilitation Is Part of Our Story
For decades, rehabilitation has played an important role in shaping who we are as an organization.
The American Eagle Foundation was built on the belief that every bird of prey matters. Our permanently injured/disabled ambassador birds help educate the public to wild raptors given a second chance through previous rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
For over 35 years, AEF has assisted in the care, transport, rehabilitation support, and release of injured, sick, and orphaned birds of prey, including bald eagles from across Tennessee and surrounding regions. Those experiences helped shape the expertise, partnerships, and conservation mission that continue to define our organization today.
How Rehabilitation Shaped AEF
Working alongside veterinarians, wildlife professionals, and permitted rehabilitation partners taught us firsthand about the many threats facing birds of prey, including:
- Habitat loss
- Lead poisoning
- Vehicle collisions
- Electrocution
- Illegal shootings
- Disease and environmental hazards
These experiences directly influenced our work in:
- Conservation education
- Eagle care and management
- Public outreach
- Wildlife advocacy
- Research support
- Emergency response coordination
The knowledge gained through rehabilitation efforts also strengthened AEF’s long-standing bald eagle conservation programs, including our historic hacking and release efforts that helped return bald eagles to the skies of East Tennessee.
Our Role Today
While AEF is federally permitted and continues to assist with eagle emergencies, we are not currently equipped to operate a full-scale veterinary rehabilitation hospital onsite.
Today, our role focuses on:
- Assisting with bald eagle emergencies
- Coordinating placement
- Supporting rehabilitation partnerships
- Providing long-term care for non-releasable ambassador birds
- Educating the public about protecting wild raptors
- Connecting the public with licensed wildlife rehabilitators and veterinary resources
We work closely with veterinary and rehabilitation partners, including the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and Owl Ridge Raptor Center, to help ensure injured birds receive proper medical attention and expert care when possible.
If you find an injured or orphaned raptor, please visit our Rehab Resources page for guidance and emergency contacts.
Looking Toward the Future
Rehabilitation remains deeply connected to AEF’s mission and vision for the future.
Our long-term goals include expanding our ability to support raptor rehabilitation, conservation medicine, research, and emergency response efforts through future facility growth and partnerships.
Every rescue call, every transported eagle, every educational program, and every ambassador bird helps inspire greater public understanding and protection for birds of prey.
Because protecting raptors doesn’t begin only in a clinic, it begins with education, conservation, and a community willing to care.