When Challenger Flies

This is an awesome music video featuring a special free-flying Bald Eagle named ‘Challenger’
(in honor of the lost space shuttle crew) cared for by the non-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF).
 
He’s a ‘human socialized’ bird accidentally raised by the people who rescued him – after being blown from a wild Louisiana nest in a storm as a baby in the late 1980s.   Declared ‘non-releasable’ by federal and state wildlife authorities, he was trained by the AEF to perform educational free-flight demonstrations at high profile public events.
 
He’s the first Bald Eagle in U.S. history that learned to free-fly into stadiums, arenas and ballrooms during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. The celebrity eagle has appeared at numerous major sporting events like the World Series, Pro-Bowl, All-Star game, BCS National Championship, Fiesta Bowl and Men’s Final Four, etc. Challenger has also flown before 4 U.S. Presidents!
 
His life story is told in a children’s storybook titled ‘Challenger, America’s Favorite Eagle.’