Murphy, beloved bald eagle who went viral for incubating a rock, dies after Missouri storms

(CNN) — Murphy, a bald eagle who stole hearts around the world for incubating a rock like it was his own offspring, died after violent thunderstorms roared through Missouri this month. He was 33.

Murphy was found dead by his caregivers at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, early on March 15 and a post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered head trauma, according to a statement from the sanctuary.

“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,” the sanctuary said in the statement. “While Murphy experienced countless storms throughout the years with us without issue, this storm may have contributed to his passing.”

The same wide-reaching storm spawned dust storms, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that killed at least 42 people from the Plains to the Carolinas between March 14 and 16.

Murphy, who was unable to fly due to a permanent injury to one of his wings, shared an aviary with three other birds who were unharmed after the storm, and the “aviary as a whole did not sustain any damage,” according to the sanctuary.

The birds have access to shelters, the sanctuary’s statement noted, and the storm did not prompt any evacuations as there were no tornadoes in the area. Violent weather can be deadly for animals without places to shelter. An estimated 1,000 birds died during severe thunderstorms in Missouri in March 2020.

Murphy first made headlines in 2023 when photos of him nurturing his rock at the World Bird Sanctuary went viral.

Murphy displayed such fatherly prowess with his rock “egg” that his caretakers gave him the chance to bond with real eaglets instead. Murphy went on to be a successful surrogate father to two orphaned bald eagle chicks.

And Murphy’s legacy will live on.

His second foster eaglet “is making good progress toward release,” the sanctuary said. Watching Murphy’s parenting over the years also helped caretakers learn more about the needs of orphaned raptors – and in honor of this feathered foster father, the sanctuary plans to name its eagle fostering aviary “Murphy’s Manor.”

“As we mourn this tragic loss, we are very thankful that his 33 year life far surpassed the typical lifespan of 20-25 years for Bald Eagles,” the sanctuary said. “His resilience, spirit, and dedication as a foster dad touched the hearts of millions of people throughout the world, leaving an especially profound impact on those fortunate enough to have worked with him.”

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