This photograph provided by the American Eagle Foundation shows two American bald eagles in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Wednesday, July 23, 2008. The 14-week-old eagles were named Hope, left, and Tennessee, right, by Disney star Miley Cyrus and her country music singer father, Billy Ray Cyrus. They are to be released into the wild Thursday, July 24.
(AP Photo/American Eagle Foundation)
2 eagles named by Miley, Billy Ray to be set free
This photograph provided by the American Eagle Foundation shows two American bald eagles in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Wednesday, July 23, 2008. The 14-week-old eagles were named Hope, left, and Tennessee, right, by Disney star Miley Cyrus and her country music singer father, Billy Ray Cyrus. They are to be released into the wild Thursday, July 24.
(AP Photo/American Eagle Foundation)
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.—Two 14-week-old American bald eagles named by Disney star Miley Cyrus and her country singer father, Billy Ray Cyrus, will be released into the wild Thursday at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The American Eagle Foundation has released more than 90 eagles from Dolly Parton's Dollywood theme park in East Tennessee since the 1990s. The eagles were named Tennessee (after the Cyrus' home state) and Hope (Miley's given middle name before she had it legally changed this year).
The stars of the Disney Channel's hit "Hannah Montana" won't be there in person to release the eagles, which were hatched earlier this spring at the foundation's center. But foundation President Al Cecere said there will be plenty of her fans to see the eagles take flight from the artificial nesting tower located on Douglas Lake.
The bald eagle, once on the brink of extinction, was taken off the endangered-species list last year.
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