Murphy, the Beloved Bald Eagle Foster Dad Who Went Viral for Incubating a Rock, Has Died Following Storms in MissouriThe 33-year-old raptor had parented two orphaned chicks since gaining international attention for sitting on a rock in 2023 In 2023, Murphy was incubating a rock when an orphaned eaglet arrived at the sanctuary in need of some fatherly love and care. World Bird SanctuaryFans are mourning the death of Murphy, the internet-famous bald eagle who became a foster dad in 2023 after trying to incubate a rock.Murphy was found dead in his enclosure at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, where he had lived for most of his life. A necropsy revealed the beloved bird had suffered a head injury, though veterinarians are not exactly sure what happened.They suspect his death may be related to the intense tornadoes and thunderstorms that swept through the area on March 14, killing at least 12 people in Missouri and causing widespread property damage. Keepers discovered Murphys body in his aviary the next morning, March 15.We are unable to determine if Murphy was spooked by something and hit his head while jumping off a perch or if wind and precipitation played a part in the injury, according to a statement the sanctuary posted on social media.Another possibility is that Murphy was hit in the head by a piece of hail, reports the New York Times Livia Albeck-Ripka.Murphy had lived through countless storms in the past, and he had access to shelter during the recent severe weather event, according to the sanctuarys post. Adding to the mystery is the fact that his three aviary mates are alive and in good health, and the aviary itself did not sustain any damage during the storms.Officials with the sanctuary said they did not evacuate any birds, because the facility was not in the path of any tornadoes.While we do everything that we can to keep our birds safe, accidents outside of our control can happen, according to the statement.Murphy lived to be 33, which surpassed the 15- to 25-year lifespan of wild bald eagles. He first came to the sanctuary in the mid-1990s with a broken leg and was released after receiving medical care. He later returned with a broken wing that rendered him incapable of flying.Since this injury meant he could not be returned to the wild, Murphy spent the rest of his life at the sanctuary, which is located about 20 miles southwest of St. Louis. Across 305 acres of forested land, the facilitys hospital cares for more than 650 injured raptors each year and provides a home for more than 200 animals.In March 2023, Murphys behavior started attracting some attention. The eagle carefully constructed a nest on the ground in his enclosurethen began diligently incubating a rock, since he did not have an egg. To alert visitors that Murphy was OK, the sanctuary posted a sign that read: 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!The sign went viral, making Murphy an international bird celebrity. Then, the sanctuarys keepers heard about a young eaglet that had fallen from its nest. Given Murphys earnest dedication to the rock, they gave him the chance to become a foster dadthey replaced the rock with the baby bird.He was sitting on a rock and everybody told him, Its a rock, its not going to hatch, Dawn Griffard, former CEO of World Bird Sanctuary, told theWashington Posts Praveena Somasundaram at the time. And all of a sudden, in his mind, it hatched, and he has a chick.After a slow and careful introduction process, Murphy and the eaglet, named Rocky, began to bond. Thanks in part to Murphys fatherly love and care, Rocky was successfully released into the wild on July 7, 2023.In April 2024, caretakers gave Murphy a second foster eaglet, which he parented with the same gusto. That young bird is expected to be released sometime this summer, according to the sanctuary.Murphy is the only bald eagle that has ever fostered a chick at the sanctuary, which does not often receive eaglets. But staffers learned so much from watching Murphy care for the two chicks that theyve designed an aviary specifically for the needs of eaglets. They plan to name it Murphys Manor in his honor.In the social media statement, the sanctuary thanked Murphy for his resilience, spirit and dedication. By caring for Rocky, the bird touched the hearts of millions of people throughout the world and brought daily joy to thousands of fans.In recent days, the sanctuary has received hundreds of emails, letters, cards and social media tributes to Murphy, per the Washington Posts Jonathan Edwards.We could not have asked for a better ambassador and role model, according to the statement. We are devastated by this loss and know that the community mourns with us.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Animals, Baby Animals, Birds, Death, Internet, Land Birds, Wildlife, Zoology