Miley Goes to the Birds

Thu., Jul. 24, 2008 10:30 AM PDT by Gina Serpe

The Miley Cyrus eagles: Hope & Tennessee

AP Photo/American Eagle Foundation

The eaglet has ~~landed~~ flown the coop.

Two 14-week-old apparently well-connected bald eaglets, who earlier this year were christened "Hope" and "Tennessee" by Miley Cyrus and papa Billy Ray following the birds' births at Dolly Parton's Dollywood park, have been released into the wild by the nonprofit American Eagle Foundation.

Neither Cyrus was on hand to witness the event, which took place today at Tennessee's Douglas Lake near the Great Smoky Mountains.

A group of Hannah Montana fans, however, was happily on hand for the birds' release.

"The birds flew majestically while discovering their newfound freedom right after the nesting tower door was opened by several of Miley's East Tennessee fans," said AEF founder and president Al Cecere. "This is yet another step in our efforts to fully bring back eagles to our nation's lands, waterways and skies."

The eaglets themselves were hatched at the United States Eagle Center located inside Dollywood. (Parton herself was on hand to release a bald eagle in April.)

For those keeping score at home, the Cyruses' baldies were christened for Miley, whose birth name is Destiny Hope Cyrus, and their home state.