What breed was Flaco? Escaped eagle-owl from Central Park Zoo dies after flying into a building

An owl named Flaco who escaped from Central Park Zoo last year, died on Friday, February 23, 2024, after reportedly crashing into a building in the Upper West Side. The news was announced on X in a statement by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which explained that he collided with a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan.

As per a WCS Newsroom, Flaco was a male Eurasian eagle owl that was brought to the Central Park Zoo in 2010 from a North Carolina bird sanctuary. He stayed there for 12 years before escaping on February 2, 2023. The owl would turn 14 next month.

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Flaco escaped the Central Park Zoo after his enclosure was vandalized

The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest species of owl and has a wingspan of up to 79 inches. They are recognized by their distinctive ear tufts with dark-colored feathers and are found predominantly in Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, and Central Asia.

The injured Flaco was found on the ground by building residents who contacted the Wild Bird Fund (WBF), a rescue organization. WBF responded immediately, retrieving the unresponsive bird, but soon pronounced the owl dead.

WCS employees stated that the bird was taken to Bronx Zoo for a necropsy to determine the cause of death. As per NBC News, the Central Park Zoo issued a statement about the initial findings, which were consistent with "death due to acute traumatic injury."

According to CNN, in a statement, the Wildlife Conservation Society said:

"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."

The 13-year-old owl escaped from the zoo after someone allegedly vandalized his enclosure, cutting a hole through the stainless steel mesh of this exhibit. Zoo authorities noticed that Flaco had escaped around 8:30 pm on February 2, 2023, as per AP News.

Zoo authorities tried to capture the bird with food and eagle calls but to no avail. NYPD officials also unsuccessfully attempted to capture him. As per NBC News, when some expressed their concern regarding his survival in the city, the Central Park Zoo said in a statement:

"We observed him successfully hunting, catching and consuming prey. We have seen a rapid improvement in his flight skills and ability to confidently maneuver around the park."

Since his escape, Flaco was frequently spotted around Central Park and in parks in Manhattan. His escape made national news and he soon became a much-loved bird in NYC. Tourists, bird watchers, and ornithologists took up an interest in the bird and began following him and tracking his exploits.

According to The Guardian, he was the only owl of his kind in the wild in North America, prompting widespread fear that he would not survive for long in the outside world. According to the National Audubon Society, about 230,000 birds hit windows and die every year in New York City.

The owl managed to survive over a year in the wild.