In March 2023, a keeper at the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis County, Missouri, noticed something unusual. A 31-year-old male bald eagle named Murphy was fiercely guarding a small nest he had built—except instead of an egg, he was incubating a rock.
Murphy took his parenting duties seriously, sitting on the rock, nudging it, and protecting it from the other eagles in the aviary. Visitors often asked why he was just sitting there, prompting the sanctuary to put up a sign:
“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!”
While it’s normal for male bald eagles to help with nesting and chick-rearing, Murphy’s commitment to his “RockBaby” was a bit out of the ordinary. As his protective instincts escalated, keepers decided to move him to his own enclosure for the safety of the other birds.
From Rock to Real Parent
People suggested giving Murphy a real egg or even a mate, but those options weren’t feasible. However, in late March, an opportunity arose when strong winds toppled a nest containing two baby eagles. One chick didn’t survive, but the other was taken to the sanctuary’s Wildlife Hospital.
The eaglet, identified as Bald Eaglet 23-126, was bruised but otherwise healthy. Staff hand-fed it while disguised to prevent imprinting, but the baby needed a proper eagle parent. With Murphy’s paternal instincts already in overdrive, they decided to see if he would accept the chick.
After a gradual introduction using a protective enclosure known as “baby jail,” the eaglet was finally released into Murphy’s space on April 12. What happened next was nothing short of heartwarming.
Murphy Steps Up
At first, Murphy curiously observed the chick. Then, in a beautiful turn of events, he began feeding it—proving that his devotion to RockBaby had prepared him for the real thing.
The sanctuary shared an update:
“This morning, Murphy got his chance to be a full parent. The baby left the nest to get closer to Murphy. When we checked back, we found that all the chopped food was still in the nest—but Murphy’s whole fish had been removed, and the baby had a full crop. Since the eaglet isn’t old enough to tear food itself, that means… MURPHY FED THE BABY!!!!”
A Community Rooting for Murphy
Social media exploded with reactions to Murphy’s unexpected fatherhood:
🦅 “I can’t believe I’m crying over eagles!”
🦅 “Murphy manifested the eaglet he needed in his life.”
🦅 “So happy for Murphy & eaglet Dwayne (The Rock Johnson).”
🦅 “Omg, I’m crying! Murphy never gave up on his rock and now has a baby of his very own.”
While there’s no live stream due to the sanctuary’s remote location, staff continue to share updates on social media. For those invested in Murphy’s journey, you can follow along or even contribute to feeding his rapidly growing chick via their donation page or Amazon baby registry.
Murphy’s story is proof that love, even when misplaced at first, can find its way to where it belongs. 🦅💙