A beloved bald eagle who garnered attention for incubating a rock in 2023 is being mourned on Saturday after the 33-year-old avian passed away due to severe storms that swept through Missouri.

Murphy, who surpassed the average lifespan of 25 years, died last week at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri.

Sanctuary officials believe the violent storms that ripped apart homes and claimed 12 lives last weekend may have factored in the bird’s death.

Experts mentioned that birds have access to shelters where they can seek refuge from storms, and the sanctuary is prepared with contingency plans for various environmental conditions.

But evacuations weren’t performed since no tornadoes approached the sanctuary. Three other birds who were in the same shelter with Murphy survived.

Following the bald eagle’s death, a veterinarian conducted a necropsy and discovered that the eagle had suffered head trauma. A statement released by the sanctuary on social media explained, “We are uncertain whether Murphy was startled by something and hit its head while leaping off a perch, or if the injury was caused by the strong winds and precipitation.”

Murphy lived in the sanctuary’s Avian Avenue exhibit area and rose to prominence in 2023 when he incubated a rock. His instincts were rewarded when he was allowed to foster an injured eaglet that he nurtured back to health.

The eaglet was eventually released back to the wild and another eaglet was entrusted to Murphy’s care. The second eaglet is expected to be released into the wild this summer.

“In honor of Murphy’s legacy, we plan to name the eventual eagle fostering aviary Murphy’s Manor, so that we can continue to remember him for decades to come,” the sanctuary’s statement added.