A Male Bald Eagle That Was Trying To Hatch A Rock Has Been Given A Chick To Raise (Pics & Video)

A permanently injured bald eagle who can't fly is living out the rest of his days at a bird sanctuary in Missouri. Last month, one of his caretakers at World Bird Sanctuary (WBS) noticed something odd. Keeper Kerstin saw Murphy the eagle protecting a large depression in the ground. The spot was sparsely but carefully decorated with leaves and branches, and featured a simple rock right in the center.

Many viewers have assumed that Murphy is lonely and needs a mate, but the sanctuary keepers insist he is choosing to do this on his own. "Murphy is not lonely! He is housed with 4 other bald eagles - 2 males and 2 females," WBS said. "He is not welcoming help with his nest, nor is he seeking it! He has not chosen a mate, so he very clearly wants to do this on his own. He does not want anything (real eggs) but his rock. Eventually he will get bored and abandon it, but we love watching him care for it now. No need to feel bad for him! He is perfectly content, and very spoiled!"