Murphy, a disabled Bald Eagle became famous after he attempted to hatch a rock. In 2023 the keepers of his sanctuary replaced his rock with an orphaned eaglet, allowing Murphy to finally become a real parent

Murphy, a resident of the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, has lived there for most of his 31 years of life since an injury left him unable to fly. His home is an enclosure where he crafted his nest carefully at the bottom.

Murphy’s behavior pointed increasingly toward a picture of committed parenthood. He became more and more protective of his offspring, screeching and charging at anyone who tried to come near. His dedication was so strong that he had to be moved to a separate enclosure.

Murphy’s story didn’t end with his one-sided relationship with the rock. When an orphaned baby eaglet needed a parent, Murphy was ready to care for it. The bonding process between Murphy and the eaglet began a few days after the eaglet’s arrival.

Murphy began to respond to the eaglet’s peeps. A week after their introduction, the cage was removed so the two could interact more closely. Murphy took his portion of food and ripped it up to feed to the baby.