At the World Bird Sanctuary in Missouri, visitors grew concerned when they noticed a bald eagle named Murphy lying on the ground for hours at a time.
He didn’t appear injured, but he refused to move, and guests began asking staff if something was wrong.
So many people were worried that keeper Tess finally put up a sign near his enclosure:
“Murphy is not hurt, sick, or in distress. He has built a nest on the ground and is very carefully incubating … a rock!”
That’s right — Murphy wasn’t ill at all. He had simply decided that fatherhood had arrived early, and his chosen “egg” was a perfectly ordinary rock. Visitors couldn’t help but smile at his dedication.
When Murphy’s story spread online, some people worried he’d be heartbroken when the rock never hatched. But the sanctuary reassured everyone that Murphy was perfectly happy with his unusual little family.
“Murphy does not need a real egg to feel accomplished,” the sanctuary explained. “He’s quite content with his rock and very protective of it. Once his spring hormones fade, he’ll move on. Poor rock.”
But fate had another plan for the devoted eagle dad.
Not long after Murphy went viral, the sanctuary was asked to care for an orphaned bald eagle chick who had fallen from his nest. The team immediately thought of Murphy and decided to see if his instincts could be put to real use.
Carefully, keepers introduced the chick to Murphy. To their delight, Murphy responded with the behaviors they’d hoped for — he listened to the baby’s tiny peeps and began guarding the area with pride.
It’s still early days, but the sanctuary is hopeful that Murphy will embrace his new role as a real foster dad.
Even if the bond doesn’t fully form, Murphy’s story has already captured hearts around the world, showing just how strong an eagle’s parenting instincts can be — even if they start with a rock.
As for Murphy’s first “baby”? The rock has gone back to doing what rocks do best: sitting quietly, while Murphy steps into a brand-new chapter of fatherhood.
Keep up with Murphy's journey by following World Bird Sanctuary on Twitter and Facebook.
