Patriot is a male Bald Eagle hatched in the wilds of Alaska. In 1991, he was removed from a nest in the Tongass National Forest to be part of a hacking program in Tennessee. Hacking is the process of releasing a bird of prey into the wild from an artificial nesting tower. At eight weeks of age a Bald Eagle is placed into a hack cage overlooking a lake or other large body of water. The enclosure is solid on three sides with bars on one side and nesting materials on the inside. Through the bars, an eaglet can look out over the water and learn about the area into which it will be released.

For approximately four weeks, the eaglet is fed by humans concealed from its view. At twelve weeks of age a Bald Eaglet is full grown and will fledge (leave) the nest. Eaglets in a hack tower are released at the same time and are free to take their place in nature.

Unfortunately, Patriot never made it through all of the stages of hacking. He broke his wing either while in the hack tower nest or in transport to Tennessee. The wing was treated by a veterinarian, but it never healed properly. Patriot can fly, but not well enough to be able to hunt on his own and survive in the wild.

Patriot was sent to the American Eagle Foundation's (formerly National Foundation to Protect America's Eagles) education, breeding and rehabilitation center in Pigeon Forge, TN for part of his wing rehabilitation. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service wanted to see if the AEF staff could build up his flying strength. The AEF staff worked with Patriot for three months, at which time he was deemed non-releasable by a veterinarian.

During the 1993-1994 breeding season, a wild female Bald Eagle started hanging out around the AEF facility. Because her head was just beginning to turn white, the staff determined that she was about four years of age. In the first three to four years (prior to sexual maturity), a Bald Eagle does not have the characteristic white head and tail. It has mostly brown feathers. This meant that the wild female was at the appropriate age to seek out a lifelong mate. She would very often fly to and land on top of Patriot's enclosure and call to him. It appeared as if this wild female was attracted to Patriot! Unfortunately, there was no way to get the pair together. On the positive side, the same female was discovered with a male the following year. In 1996, they built a nest together and successfully produced two young. This is the first nesting pair of Bald Eagles in Sevier County in over 25 years.

Patriot now resides in the AEF's "Eagle Mountain Sanctuary" aviary on the Dollywood entertainment park in Pigeon Forge, TN. He is appreciated by about two million Dollywood visitors annually, and shares the aviary with a number of available females. Perhaps some day he will find the right mate and will raise healthy young that can be released into the wild.