Escaped Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Central Park Zoo) on the loose in Manhattan

[Donkees]

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark

An escaped Eurasian Eagle-Owl (with foot tag) is on the loose in Manhattan, last seen flying south from Fifth Avenue and 60th Street.

David Lei
@davidlei

Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle owl, on Fifth Avenue tonight after escaping the @centralparkzoo and evading the assistance of good samaritans as well NYC’s finest (@NYPD19Pct). Zoo staff were working to retrieve him ...

[Donkees]

1. Blue Jays mobbing Flaco in Hallett Nature Sanctuary, Central Park, this morning.

''owl in sight high perch.''


r2junot
@r2junot

Flaco jumped high to treetop - mobbing continues wind picking up.

Hallett Nature Sanctuary is a four-acre nature preserve that is located just northwest of the Pond at 5th Avenue and Central Park South.

Restored in the 1980's, Hallett Nature Sanctuary was first declared a bird sanctuary in 1934, and has remained so ever since.

https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/hallett-nature-sanctuary/

[Donkees]

2. Photo: resting high atop a tree on the southeast side of Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
4m
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl that escaped from the
@centralparkzoo is resting high atop a tree on the southeast side of Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary. #birdcp

[3Hotdogs]

3. One was loose in London about 15 years ago.

It had a tether to its leg.

It died a few days after it was sighted.

[Donkees]

5. Right now he's near high-rise terraces and might shelter there against the sub-zero temps overnight

[Donkees]

4. Twitter Video: Some perspective on the high and inaccessible perch chosen this morning by Flaco...

Link to tweet

[Donkees]

6. ABC News: OWL SET FREE BY VANDALS AT CENTRAL PARK ZOO IN MANHATTAN

https://abc7ny.com/amp/central-park-zoo-owl-eurasian-eagle-vandals-set-free/12766192/

The owl was spotted on Fifth Avenue and East 60th Street at around 9 p.m. Thursday.

The police were called and Emergency Services officers attempted to get it in a cage, but the owl flew off.

Edmund Berry, who is a bird watcher and photographer, saw Flaco near Pulitzer Fountain at Grand Army Plaza, near Central Park at 11:30 p.m. Thursday night.

As of Friday morning, multiple agencies were attempting to bring the owl down from a tree on the southeast corner of Central Park.

It is not known why the vandals set the owl free from the zoo, which is home to several species of owl.

The following statement was issued by Central Park Zoo:

"A Eurasian eagle owl at Central Park Zoo was discovered missing from its exhibit at 8:30 p.m. Thursday evening. The exhibit had been vandalized and the stainless steel mesh cut. Upon notification, a team was mobilized to search for the bird. Citizens and police spotted the owl on the sidewalk on 5th Avenue but it flew off. Zoo staff located the owl perched in a tree near the zoo and stayed with it throughout the night. At sunrise this morning, the owl flew from the tree on 5th Avenue and into Central Park where we continue to have visual contact with the bird. Our focus and effort at this time is on the safe recovery of the owl. We will issue updates as needed."

[Donkees]

7. A short twitter clip of Flaco, by David Lei

Link to tweet

[Donkees]

10. CBS News: ''Thanks @davidlei for letting me shoot your camera at the perfect time''

Link to tweet

[Donkees]

8. ''Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl should be able to handle the cold, but ... ''

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
9m
To answer some questions: Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl should be able to handle the cold, but after over a decade in captivity he may lack the skill to catch prey on his own in the wild. He needs to be rescued and fed.

Photo: @NativeBlueberry

[Donkees]

9. Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is resting in Hallett Sanctuary again this Saturday morning ...

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
16m
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is resting in Hallett Sanctuary again this Saturday morning, this time lower and in view from the paved path near Gapstow Bridge.

[Donkees]

11. ''Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is resting in good view this Sunday morning ... ''

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
32m
We're happy to report that Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is resting in good view this Sunday morning in Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary, seen from the paved path west of Gapstow Bridge.

[Donkees]

12. We learned from an @NYCParks Ranger that Flaco did not eat any of the food left out for him ...

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
35s
We learned from an @NYCParks Ranger that Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl did not eat any of the food left out for him in Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary last night. We believe he has not eaten at all since his escape.

[Donkees]

13. Flaco is almost home, he's now at 63rd street looking down at the grounds of the Central Park Zoo

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
20m
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl has left Hallett Sanctuary and is almost home! He is resting in Central Park high above East Drive and 63rd Street, looking down at the grounds of the Central Park Zoo.

[Donkees]

14. Getting Closer ...

[Donkees]

15. Flaco is now Hooting

@NativeBlueberry

Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl, still wild but now inside of the @centralparkzoo fence line, yawns this morning as he hears the dulcet and familiar chimes of the Delacorte clock playing Frère Jacques - a comforting reminder that home is very near. #birdcp #birdcpp
@CentralParkNYC

Link to tweet

[Donkees]

16. MIA - No refind or reports of Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl yet this Thursday morning

To recap, he was inside the zoo grounds, then flew towards Hallett Sanctuary, now MIA.

David Lei @davidlei
20h

Flaco, the escaped Eurasian eagle-owl, spent a lot of time inside the grounds of @centralparkzoo last night. Zoo staff tried to retrieve him but he was uncooperative. Pictured here looking cheeky in the crane exhibit. (Long exposure taken from outside the zoo).

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
1h
No refind or reports of Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl yet this Thursday morning, but Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary has been reopened to the public, which probably would not be done while rescue efforts are continuing.

[Donkees]

17. Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Day (and night) 7

Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Day (and night) 7
BY D. BRUCE YOLTON

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

This bird has acclimated to the park very quickly. Much quicker than I would have expected for an animal that has been in captivity its whole life.

It was hunting last tonight, and made multiple passes at Brown Rats. It is scoping out locations where the Manhattan schist is exposed and waiting patiently (for as long as 40 minutes last night) for a rodent to run over the rocks. Last night, Flaco used an area that I know well from tracking a coyote in 2010, who had a den in Hallett Nature Sanctuary. Different animal, but the same prey and territory!

Flaco’s hunting skills aren’t perfected and I haven’t seen him catch anything yet. But for him to go from being fed to hunting in less than a week is beyond expectations.

Eurasian Eagle-Owls can easily go for a week without eating, so there is no need to worry about Flaco at this point. But his independent streak is making it harder for the Wildlife Conservation Society staff to catch him. He hasn’t settled into any daily routines yet and doesn’t seem to be very hungry, which is helping him evade capture.

I don’t want to give away the zoo staff’s playbook, but last night I saw a wonderful, caring group of individuals do everything possible to catch Flaco. From what I saw they’re doing all of the right things, and have the correct folks in place. Unfortunately, Flaco just doesn’t want to go home yet.

https://www.urbanhawks.com/eurasian-eagle-owl-day-and-night-7

[Donkees]

18. Flaco now west of Heckscher Playground at the south end of Central Park. Zoo staff have arrived.

Jordan Pesci
@pescilovesyou
·
1h
Replying to @BirdCentralPark
We spotted Flaco today in the South End of Central Park, in the lawn section between Hecksher Playground and Diprock Arch. Spotted at 12:30pm and again at 2:30pm. They look healthy and we hope they get back to safety soon!

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
23m
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl continues now at 5:31 pm in Central Park in a conifer east of the Heckscher Playground restrooms.

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
8m
Flaco has flown to a tree west of Heckscher Playground at the south end of Central Park. Zoo staff have arrived.

[Donkees]

19. Flaco became entangled in bait trap netting, but quickly escaped his rescuers

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
34m
Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is near rat bait and netting on Central Park's Heckscher Playground now. He has been on the ground for over 20 minutes with staff from the zoo nearby.

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
18m
Flaco finally went for the live rat (protected in a cage) and briefly got his feet tangled in the netting, the intent of the trap. But Flaco quickly escaped and flew to a tree southwest of Heckscher Playground in Central Park.

[Donkees]

20. Flaco has been eating, was seen expelling a pellet

Manhattan Bird Alert
@BirdCentralPark
·
3h
Some quite surprising news: Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl was just seen expelling a pellet of indigestible remains, meaning that Flaco has eaten in Central Park! Photos by Sandra Critelli.