QUIRKY ASIA: Eagle has phantom pregnancy

[Donna]

Seoul (The Korea Herald/ANN) - An eagle, which never made it home due to a broken wing, is thought to be having a phantom pregnancy as it incubates pebbles instead of eggs, domestic reports said.

The eagle migrated to Korea 10 years ago from Mongolia to spend winter here but hasn't been able to leave since its injury.

The eagle has sat on the pebbles, smaller than the average size of eggs, since last month at the shelter of a bird protection organization.

The eagle started to make a nest in March after apparently mating. Completing a nest, about 1.5 meter in diameter with twigs, it collected small pebbles scattered around the place where it has been fed, according to an official at the Korea Association for Bird Protection.

The official said the eagle is suspected of experiencing a false pregnancy in breeding season as it is impossible to go back to home and breed in Mongolia.

About a thousand eagles from Mongolia come to Paju, Gyeonggi Province, every October to spend winter and fly back to Mongolia around March and April to breed.

Thanks Kris

[Kris G.]

This was posted on BCAW on the Rochester topic where they've been discussing about Beauty's odd behavior of incubating nothing.  Thought it was interesting.