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Flaco sits in a tree in Central Park in New York City on February 6, 2023.
Seth Wenig/AP
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Seth Wenig/AP
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Flaco sits in a tree in Central Park in New York City on February 6, 2023.
Seth Wenig/AP
Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl that became a New York celebrity after escaping from the Central Park Zoo last year and escaping attempts to recapture him, has died after colliding with an Upper West Side building.
![Opinion: An owl who became a New Yorker](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/02/24/gettyimages-104533187_sq-c91556ea43ef3dd67f2ee975039493770e39dfd8-s100.jpg)
Local rescue group Wild Bird Fund said the incident occurred on Friday afternoon. When they arrived on scene, Flaco was unresponsive and lying face down in the apartment's courtyard.
The group's initial investigation showed that Flaco may have hit the window, but there may have been other underlying causes. The Central Park Zoo said the beloved owl was taken to the Bronx Zoo for an autopsy.
“We would like to thank all of the support and concern about Flacco’s well-being over the past year, as well as the many people who have contacted us for updates,” the Central Park Zoo said in a statement.
Flacco left the Central Park Zoo last February after someone cut the stainless steel mesh in his exhibit.
At first, zoo officials were worried about how Flaco would fare in the concrete jungle. Eurasian eagle owls can go without food for weeks, but when they are ready to eat, they tend to hunt small mammals such as mice. There is plenty of rat poison in New York, but some people were concerned that Flaco would accidentally ingest it.
Despite these concerns, Flaco seemed to thrive in the city. He jumped and hooted without showing any signs of struggle, turning busy New Yorkers into curious bird watchers.
Over time, Flaco became a symbol of freedom and resilience, evading attempts by local police and zoo staff to bring him back to the zoo. He arrived at the zoo as a young child over 10 years ago.
Central Park Zoo staff kept a close eye on him in case he showed any signs of distress or distress. But overall, Flaco seemed at home in the wilds that are New York.
![Flaco, New York's famous owl, has been spotted for the first time far from Central Park.](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/11/07/dscn1977-01-2-01_sq-cf69480e162be0b44d11993f07eda6f8de4a6115-s100.jpeg)
To this day, it is unclear who damaged Flaco's exhibit. The Central Park Zoo said the practice jeopardized the safety of protected animals and blamed an unknown person for Flacco's death.
But over the past year, Flaco has come into his own and won hearts in the process.