Disabled Eagle Who Nurtured a Rock As an Egg Becomes Stepdad to Orphaned Eaglets

A beautiful disabled bald eagle named Murphy, who lives at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, had been nurturing a rock as an egg when an orphaned eaglet came to the sanctuary in spring 2023.

Although it might make you feel sad that Murphy has built a nest and is nurturing a rock as an egg, it’s just his hormonal response to spring. Murphy is not sad, so you don’t need to be,

Suddenly there was a need for a caring parent and Murphy was the perfect fit. The tiny eaglet, Bald Eagle 23-126, was given the necessary food and medication before moving in with his new stepdad. The pair spent a great deal of time together and the little one imprinted well.

On July 7, 2024, 23-126 aka Murphy’s eaglet was released into the wild.

After 23-126 left the nest, another eaglet needed Murphy’s parenting. Luckily, there was still room at the inn.

The bald eagle’s story first went viral in 2023 after he built a nest and tried to hatch a rock. Soon after trying to hatch the rock, the then 31-year-old eagle was given a foster eaglet who had fallen out of its nest. In Spring of 2024, Murphy was given another eaglet who came to the sanctuary under similar circumstances