The Auburn Eagle - Smarter Every Day 32

Destin arrives at Jordan-Hare Stadium before the Iron Bowl game to learn about Auburn's eagle mascot and its role in game day activities.

Marianne Hudson is in charge of Spirit and Nova, the eagles that fly during Auburn games.

The birds are practiced with almost every day at Jordan-Hare Stadium and are fed their breakfast there regularly, making game day just routine for them.

During games, 87,000 people watch as the eagles perform, but the birds experience it as their normal feeding routine.

The eagles are trained using a lure that they associate with food rewards; when they touch the lure, they receive food.

The birds recognize their handlers (Marianne and Roy) and look for them during performances, waiting for them to produce the lure.

During games, the lure is dropped near the 50-yard line, which is an Auburn tradition.

The reward system is straightforward: bird touches lure, bird gets food, creating a reliable behavioral response.

Destin raises the question of what happens if the eagle decides to leave the stadium during a game.

• A telemetry unit (tracking device) is clipped to every bird that flies free • A receiver reads signals from the transmitter when it's turned on • A permanent seat for the transmitter is glued to the eagle's tail

The transmitter is very lightweight and the bird cannot tell it's there; it's positioned in the slipstream so there's no aerodynamic drag.

The transmitter blends with the bird's aerodynamic shape and doesn't hinder flight performance.

Auburn staff prepare Jordan-Hare Stadium by painting the field lines for the Iron Bowl before the game begins.

• Auburn's mascot is technically a tiger, but the golden eagle is the symbol that sends the team to victory • The eagle serves as Auburn's rally cry and is flown during games • Destin notes the incongruity of carrying an eagle around with a tiger mascot on top

The eagle shows preference for Auburn colors and dislikes crimson (Alabama colors), even slapping Destin for wearing crimson in Auburn's stadium.

The video ends with light-hearted banter about Alabama versus Auburn traditions, including a joke about trying to get an elephant to fly around Alabama's stadium.