Another All-American, Non-Standard Family

 

by Pa Rock

Bird Man

Murphy is a male bald eagle who has been a resident of the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri, for most of his thirty-one years.  He suffered serious injuries to one of his wings and legs as a youngster, and consequently does not fly.  Last month Murphy built himself a nest on the ground and began sitting on it.  Soon employees at the bird sanctuary became aware that while sitting on his new nest, Murphy was incubating a rock.  He was trying to become a parent!

There are four other bald eagles at the sanctuary where Murphy lives, and as each of them tried to investigate his new situation and get a look at his nest, he would charge at them screaming, and drive the nosey intruders away.  Murphy was very protective of his "egg."

The staff was concerned about Murphy and his "mission impossible."  What would eventually become of the expectant dad when the "egg" never hatched?  Good fortune soon intervened, however, when the sanctuary staff learned of a 14-day-old orphaned eaglet that had blown down out of a tree and was in need of a foster placement. They were able to acquire the fuzzy baby and bring him to Valley Park where he was quickly swapped for Murphy's rock egg.

Staff carefully monitored the father and child for several days until it became obvious that they were bonding.  Park employees would provide Murphy with food for his baby, and he would give it to the little one - sometimes even showing his ward to eat it.  

The national press has been covering the story, and a strong fanbase is developing.  People are donating to the sanctuary with gifts specifically to help that new eagle family unit.  There is an effort underway to get a live feed of the father and child's interactions available on the internet, though that has yet to happen.  And, there is talk among the staff at the sanctuary of raising some additional funds by auctioning off the rock egg that Murphy originally tried to hatch - though that is an idea that may not fly, especially if Murphy gets wind of it!

Congratulations to another all-American, non-standard family whose story may not be appropriate for school children in Florida or Texas!