In the heart of Missouri’s World Bird Sanctuary, a remarkable story of a bald eagle named Murphy has captured the hearts of people around the world. Murphy’s journey began when he went viral for an extraordinary act – adopting a rock. Little did anyone know that this heartwarming tale would take yet another inspiring turn as Murphy stepped into the role of a foster father for an orphaned eagle chick.
The 31-year-old Murphy made headlines in March when photos of his enclosure at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, spread across Twitter. The images showcased a sign on the enclosure’s fence, informing visitors that Murphy had taken a rather unconventional approach to parenting – he was looking after a rock. The sign read, “If you see an eagle lying down in the back left corner under a perch, that’s Murphy! Murphy is not hurt, sick, or otherwise in distress. He has built a nest on the ground and is very carefully incubating a rock! We wish him the best of luck!”
This heartwarming gesture caught the attention of people worldwide, with the tweet amassing over 4.5 million views and nearly 140,000 likes. The sanctuary even gave the rock a name – “RockBaby.”
However, there was no reason to feel sad for Murphy. As the sanctuary explained in an update on Facebook, Murphy’s behavior was simply a hormonal response to spring, and he was in good health.
As time went on, Murphy became incredibly protective of RockBaby, even to the point of territorial aggression. Consequently, he and the rock were moved to their own private space, away from public access.
But soon, the tale took a new twist. In April, the sanctuary received an injured bald eagle chick after a storm destroyed its nest. The organization needed to find an adult eagle to care for the baby, as it was at high risk of imprinting on a human.
While Murphy initially wasn’t considered a contender for the job, things changed. The sanctuary revealed that he had turned out to be the best choice to foster the eaglet. In a Facebook update, the sanctuary wrote, “It was then decided that we would give Murphy a chance at fostering the eaglet. Murphy’s dad instincts were already in high gear, but at 31 years old, he had never raised a chick before. It’s definitely a gamble, but also the chick’s best chance.”
The introduction of the baby eagle to Murphy was a carefully monitored process. The chick was initially placed in a small wood and wire box amusingly referred to as “Baby Jail.” Murphy learned to accept the chick, feed it, and protect it. The heartwarming images of their interactions melted hearts, as the sanctuary noted, “It’s just too much for the heart to handle.”
Sadly, severe weather and tornadoes struck Missouri in mid-April, and the chick was found suffering from hypothermia and shock. It was treated at the sanctuary’s hospital and later reunited with Murphy in their newly fortified and improved nest, continuing their remarkable bonding journey.
This incredible story of Murphy, from being a “Rock Dad” to a foster father, underscores the profound connection and care that animals are capable of showing, even in the most unexpected ways.
