From Rock to Real: Murphy the Eagle's Adoption Story

A bald eagle named Murphy has finally become a dad after spending weeks trying to hatch a rock. This heartwarming story comes from the World Bird Sanctuary in Missouri, where keepers noticed something unusual about Murphy's behavior last month.

The Rock Baby Phase

Staff at the sanctuary first spotted Murphy building a small nest where he spent most of his time. Looking closer, they discovered something strange - Murphy was sitting on a rock, treating it like an egg that needed warming.

But this wasn't just casual rock-sitting. Murphy became extremely protective of his "rock baby" and the nest he built. His dedication went so far that he would scream and charge at any other eagles that came near his precious stone. His protective behavior became so intense that sanctuary staff had to move Murphy and his rock to a private enclosure for safety.

A Perfect Timing Coincidence

Around the same time, strong winds knocked down a nest nearby, leaving a baby eagle orphaned. After rescue workers brought the eaglet to the sanctuary, keepers had a brilliant idea - perhaps Murphy could adopt the orphaned baby bird.

The Careful Introduction Process

To make this adoption successful, the sanctuary team followed careful steps. First, they placed the eaglet in a small cage within Murphy's enclosure. This allowed Murphy to see and get used to the baby without direct contact. During this phase, they replaced Murphy's beloved rock with the real eaglet.

A Successful New Family

After an adjustment period, the eaglet was released from its temporary cage. The result was better than anyone could have hoped for - Murphy and the baby eagle immediately bonded.

Murphy quickly took to his parenting role, feeding his newly adopted baby eaglet just as a biological parent would. The transition from rock-parent to real eagle dad happened smoothly and naturally.

Follow Their Journey

The complete story, along with updates on this newly formed eagle family, can be found on the World Bird Sanctuary's Facebook page. The sanctuary also welcomes donations to support Murphy and his adopted eaglet as they continue their journey together.

This story shows how powerful parenting instincts can be - even when they start with a rock - and how sometimes the perfect family comes together in unexpected ways.