Over the weekend, severe storms tore into Dollywood's Eagle Mountain Sanctuary near Pigeon Forge, ripping open protective netting and turning a quiet aviary into an emergency scene. Staff and wildlife rescuers scrambled to secure the area, shut down nearby guest walkways, and halt the Wings of America shows while they tried to account for the park's rescued bald eagles. Local reports now conflict on whether every bird was safely moved or whether some seized the moment and flew out on their own.
By Tuesday, WBIR reported that three eagles were officially listed as missing after the storm damage opened an escape route from the enclosure. The station's video report said search crews were combing the surrounding hills for the birds while Dollywood staff coordinated with wildlife specialists. According to WBIR, efforts to track down and recapture any escaped eagles were active, although the station did not provide detailed information about exactly which birds might have left.
Damage and immediate response
Dollywood said in an Instagram post that overnight storms uprooted a tree near Eagle Mountain Sanctuary and "caused the aviary to be compromised," which led the park to temporarily close nearby guest areas while crews worked on repairs, according to Inside the Magic. The park explained that staff from the American Eagle Foundation would move the birds out of the damaged aviary and house them at AEF facilities until the netting could be fixed. The post did not offer a timeline for when the sanctuary might fully reopen.
Where the birds are now
Local station WVLT reported that American Eagle Foundation personnel removed eagles from the enclosure and transported them to AEF facilities for safekeeping while crews assess the structural damage and work to secure the aviary. Other local coverage, including WBIR's video report, notes that search teams are also looking beyond the sanctuary fence for any birds that may have taken flight once the netting failed. AEF staff remain the lead handlers on site and are coordinating any capture or recovery operations.
About Eagle Mountain Sanctuary
The Eagle Mountain Sanctuary is a sprawling outdoor aviary that houses what the American Eagle Foundation describes as the nation's largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles. Many of the birds have permanent injuries or disabilities and require daily care from trained handlers, which means an escape or extended time away from that care can be dangerous for them. Getting every eagle back into a secure habitat will take both careful structural repairs and hands-on work from experienced staff.
How guests and locals should respond
For now, the Wings of America performances and the park areas surrounding the sanctuary remain on pause while repair work continues. Guests are advised to check Dollywood's online media room for the latest updates, according to Dollywood Parks & Resorts. Anyone who spots a bald eagle that appears injured or is acting unusually is urged to report it to park staff or local authorities so trained responders can handle the situation safely.
Dollywood and the American Eagle Foundation both say that protecting the birds is the top priority while crews secure the aviary and evaluate what needs to be repaired, and that updates will be shared as work continues, according to Inside the Magic. We will update this post as officials release more information.
