Death of beloved New York City owl, Flaco, in apparent building collision devastates legions of fans

A Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco sits in a tree in New York's Central Park, Feb. 6, 2023. Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl who escaped from New York City’s Central Park Zoo and became one of the city’s most beloved celebrities as he flew around Manhattan, has died, zoo officials announced Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

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By Associated Press

February 24, 2024 at 7:10 PM UTC

Updated on

February 24, 2024 at 9:08 PM UTC

Tributes poured in Saturday for Flaco, the beloved Eurasian eagle-owl that became a feel-good New York story after escaping its Central Park Zoo enclosure and flying free around Manhattan.

Flaco was found dead on a New York City sidewalk Friday night after apparently flying into a building. It was a heartbreaking end for the birders who documented the owl’s daily movements and the legions of admirers who eagerly followed along.