You walk into a packed Auburn football stadium and might hear it echo right through…Warrrr Eagle! And roared not just once but over and over by tens of thousands clad in orange and blue. It’s the tradition that mirrors right in front of your eyes. But it gets a bit puzzling for the outsiders, here! So if the mascot, as the school claims is the ‘Tiger’, in a striped suit named Aubie, then why the chanting that we hear is of an eagle?

It’s a question that sparks not only curiosity but sometimes confusion. From the outside looking in, Auburn might seem like it’s juggling two mascots at once. So is it just one mascot and two symbols? Or two mascots?

Here’s the truth, and Auburn University wants it to be perfectly clear: the school has only one official mascot — and that’s the tiger. The tiger rallies amongst the fans, entertaining them throughout the game in a striped Tiger suit. On the other hand, the Eagle is grandly symbolic and prompts a rich tradition, but it is not a mascot. While the eagle might not carry the mascot crown, it holds a synonymous reflection of the Auburn. And to understand how and when an Eagle became the battle cry for the team, we need to trace back to 1892.

What does ‘War Eagle’ actually mean?

The most famous story behind Auburn’s legendary battle cry, ‘War Eagle’ takes us all the way back to 1892. It was the time when Auburn faced off against the Georgia for the very first time on the football field. On the stand, the world witnessed a Civil War Veteran, who came with a Bald Eagle that he rescued years earlier at a battlefield. And the bird had been his companion for nearly 30 years.

The story gets even more interesting right here. According to the folks who were there on the battlefield. During the occurrence, the eagle, all of a sudden, broke free and took a flight soaring high over the field. The match was taking on a classic edge, and as the eagle circled above, Auburn started pushing hard towards Georgia and pulled off an epic win. The moment was fierce, with fans cheering, and with the eagle on top of the head, it almost turned out to be symbolic that fate favored them. As the pump was on fire, students hurled ‘War Eagle’ to give the team a swing.

Then, in a twist that sounds like something out of a movie, the eagle took a final dive, hit the ground, and died. But the moment stuck. That cry—War Eagle—became something more than just a chant. It became a symbol of Auburn pride, grit, and spirit.

And ever since then there have been more eagles in the history of Auburn, each one of them had its own legacy to carry and kept the tradition alive. And still, to this day, when Auburn folks get together, you’ll hear it loud and proud: “Warrrrr Eagle!”

Why fans scream it instead of ‘Go Tigers’?

War Eagle is more than just a cheer. It’s a greeting, a battle cry, and a symbol of pride all rolled into one. So, it’s like a secret handshake of the Auburn family. And if you are in any part of the world, wearing an Auburn gear, you probably might get a friendly ‘War Eagle.’ During games it turns out to be a full roar, especially when Auburn is faced off against their biggest rivals. And when on the stand, ‘War Eagle’ gives that boost.

What’s more, since 2001, Auburn’s taken it to another level—letting a real, untethered eagle from the College of Veterinary Medicine soar around the stadium before kickoff at every home game.

That’s why when Tigers took on Michigan on Friday night, despite the lack of a flying eagle, we could witness plenty of fans in orange and blue, a bunch of Aubie sightings, and that signature “War Eagle” rolling through the crowd.