Murphy's lessons are worldwide, apply to all

I didn't learn about this story until it was over. But is it really over? 

 I'll begin with the demise of Murphy the bald eagle. He died due to head trauma in the recent tornado that hit his bird sanctuary in St. Louis, Missouri. He was 33 years old — outliving the normal bald eagle lifespan by a decade. 

What is renowned about Murphy is he incubated a rock. A staff member at the World Bird Sanctuary noticed in March 2023 that Murphy had become very territorial about a large depression in the ground. It had leaves and branches around it, and in its center was an egg-sized rock.

In his “hormonal response to spring” Murphy had decided there was life growing in this rock that he needed to protect. Male and female bald eagles care for young equally, so he was stepping up. His irreparable wing injury meant he could not fly and he was a permanent resident of his Avian Avenue exhibit. He was not letting a good rock fail to hatch. 

His overzealousness — screaming and charging at other eagles who ventured near his nest — so stressed the other birds that Murphy and his rock were moved to their own enclosure. About a month later the sanctuary took in an orphaned eaglet, just a week or two old. At 31 years—after removing his rock and introducing Murphy to this new cutie, he became a real dad. 

Murphy bonded with the eaglet, sharing his food and showing the little one how to bathe and clean its talons. Within a few months, in July 2023, the young eagle was released into the wild and Murphy was an “empty nester.”  But not for long. 

In 2024 Murphy took on a new eaglet with as much enthusiasm as he had the first. In announcing the news of Murphy’s passing this March, World Bird Sanctuary officials said, “His resilience, spirit, and dedication as a foster dad touched the hearts of millions of people throughout the world. We could not have asked for a better ambassador and role model. Murphy's foster eaglets were the first ones our hospital received in over a decade and we learned a lot about their care and space needs from observing Murphy with them. With what we've learned from this, we've designed a series of special aviaries to serve the specific needs of injured and orphaned raptors, including an aviary specialized for eaglets. We plan to name the eventual eagle fostering aviary Murphy's Manor, so that we can remember him for decades to come.” 

Did Murphy's story really end when he was found lifeless in his cage after the tornado. It does not seem like it. There are two bald eagles flying in the wild who owe their eaglehood to Murphy. Other raptors are going to be better served because of him. He inspired a worldwide audience to be more caring and loving. And he's got his name on an upcoming eagle aviary. 

It all started with a rock — and an aging bird who wanted to be a dad. Murphy wasn't asking to be remembered — his edifying actions just captured peoples' hearts. The things one can learn from an eagle.