Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl that escaped from the Central Park Zooin New York, and became one of the city’s most beloved celebrities while flying through Manhattan, has died, zoo officials announced Friday.
A little more than a year after he was released from his cage at the zoo in a criminal act that remains unsolved, Flaco appears to have crashed into an Upper West Side building, according to the center’s memo.
Workers from the Wild Bird Fund, a wildlife rehabilitation center, responded to the scene and declared Flaco dead shortly after the blow. He was taken to the Bronx Zoo for a necropsy.
Until now, Flaco had defied the odds by surviving in the urban jungle despite having spent his entire life in captivity.
It was known to appear unexpectedly in the windows of New Yorkers and birdwatchers tracked it throughout the Big Apple as it perched on buildings and water tanks.
“The vandal who damaged Flaco’s enclosure and endangered the animal’s safety is ultimately responsible for his death,” the Central Park Zoo said in its statement. “We remain confident that the NYPD is investigating the vandalism, make any arrests.”
Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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The snowy, arctic, or polar owl, which is one of the largest species of owl, is native to the Arctic tundra. During the winter, they tend to move south, mainly due to the lack of sunlight.
Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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Although snowy owls typically only travel as far south as southern Canada, they will occasionally move beyond the Canadian border into the northern U.S. and Pennsylvania, as they have this year.
Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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“So our traditional thinking about the snowy owl, it’s called an irruption,” said Dan Brauning, a Pennsylvania state exornithologist. “These are birds that break in under certain circumstances, and we traditionally think of that as limiting the food supply in the north. “So, they have to move further south to get the food to survive the winter.”
Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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Even though these beautiful birds are here looking for food, bird watchers and photographers are encouraged to keep a safe distance when viewing the owls to avoid causing them stress. Here are some useful tips:
Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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Keep your distance: This is the first and most important rule. Just because the owl can tolerate a close approach doesn’t mean you should get too close. Respect private property: Landowners who house snowy owls say visitors ignore common courtesy to get a good look at snowy owls. Be sure to check your surroundings and do not cross private property without permission.
Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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Never feed an owl – this is one of the most harmful things a person can do. Snowy owls have very little innate fear of humans, so they can get used to people feeding them mice. By associating people with food, owls may be attracted to dangerous situations, i.e. flying too close to roads.
Credit: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources
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Other amazing birds: A birder in Pennsylvania, James Hill, had a “once-in-a-lifetime” bird sighting: a cardinal that is half male and half female. The iconic bird is characterized by its deep red color and was captured on the enthusiast’s camera at a feeder in Grand Valley in Warren County.
Credit: Univision 65
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The oriole has made a home this year in the Colerain township, where several hundred bird watchers have traveled from across the region to see the yellow-bodied bird.
Credit: Univision 65
2024-02-24 12:18:00
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