Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl, who became a New York City celebrity following his escape from the Central Park Zoo in 2023, has died.
© Chris Pietsch/The Register/Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
(New York, NY) – Flaco, the beloved Eurasian eagle-owl who had become a winged New York City celebrity, has died. After first escaping his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo last year, Flaco reportedly collided with a building not far from where he escaped — along West 89th Street, about two blocks away from the park.
It was last February when Flaco first “flew the coop,” after someone cut a whole in the stainless steel mesh netting that was part of his enclosure at the zoo. Officials suspected vandalism, but no arrests were ever made. Many assumed that Flaco would quickly perish, including experts, because he’d lived his entire life in captivity and had not hunted for his own food. But the bird proved crafty and made Manhattan its personal hunting ground, dining on rats and other small rodents for over a year. At times Flaco seemed to switch up his home base, moving from the Central Park area down to the East Village — potentially scared off by fireworks, some thought.
Flaco flew high over the streets of New York beginning February 2, 2023, and counted an oak tree inside Central Park as his favorite spot. He also frequented fire escapes on the Upper West Side. The Wildlife Conservation Society released a statement in which they made it clear the vandal that cut Flaco’s netting is ultimately the person that’s also responsible for the bird’s death: “The vandal who damaged Flaco’s exhibit jeopardized the safety of the bird and is ultimately responsible for his death. We are still hopeful that the NYPD, which is investigating the vandalism, will ultimately make an arrest.”
Big picture, it’s heartbreaking for many that Flaco has passed, but his run out in the wild has to be considered a success. The bird wasn’t expected to make it this far. Central Park Zoo officials made it clear the owl had become an adept hunter, saying last year “He has been very successful at hunting and consuming the abundant prey in the park.”
Found throughout Europe, Asia, and parts of northern Africa, the Eurasian eagle-owl typically lives 10 to 20 years in the wild, and up to 60 years in captivity. They’re one of the larger owl species, weighing up to nine pounds, with a wingspan of up to 79 inches. Local populations of the birds are in decline worldwide, and wildlife officials classify them as “concerned” — but Eurasian eagle-owls are not on the endangered species list.
