Should you see Flaco the owl over Thanksgiving, don’t ask him about his relationship life.
The Eurasian eagle-owl, who has been residing free in New York Metropolis’s Central Park since he escaped from the park’s zoo in February, has been testing some new neighborhoods this week.
Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis through Getty Photos
The raptor was noticed on Monday within the metropolis’s East Village, round 5 miles from the place he normally hangs out, NPR reported. Two days later, a Flaco fan posted a photo displaying him perched atop an air conditioner barely farther south, within the Decrease East Facet, the town skyline glowing within the background.
Birder David Barrett, who runs the favored Manhattan Chook Alert account on X, previously Twitter, mentioned the owl was doubtless exploring new horizons looking for a mate ― one which he would most likely by no means discover.
“It’s the time of yr when these owls look to pair up if unattached,” wrote Barrett in a tweet. “Flaco’s hoots have gone unanswered for a very long time now. He’s unaware that no mates are anyplace within the area.”
Eurasian eagle-owls vary throughout Asia, Europe and parts of Africa, which means Flaco received’t encounter any of his personal sort within the wild on this facet of the pond. Chook specialists have speculated he might plausibly mate with a unique owl species (there was some hot gossip earlier this year about Flaco and a feminine nice horned owl referred to as Geraldine) however have mentioned it’s unlikely.
Andrew Farnsworth of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology advised New York City news site Hell Gate in February it was “most likely a whimsical ‘what if’” to think about Flaco mating with Geraldine. Yale ornithology professor Richard Prum advised the outlet he believed there was “no probability” or “subsequent to no probability” that such a pairing would happen.
It’s additionally attainable Flaco left the park after reaching his restrict with a flock of crows that had been bothering him each day, Barrett noted on X. The owl’s followers largely centered on the considerably extra relatable state of affairs of being on a futile seek for love.
Even legendary intercourse therapist Dr. Ruth weighed in, sharing an optimistic viewpoint.
Barrett additionally reminded those who Flaco is used to being alone since he didn’t have a mate throughout his 13 years in captivity. Whether or not that data ought to make folks really feel higher or worse is debatable.
Both means, Flaco faces two way more critical risks than bachelorhood: rat poison and vehicles. Owls and different predators can get sick and die from consuming poisoned rodents, and owls will be hit by vehicles whereas swooping all the way down to seize prey in or close to a street.
Each of those have been already risks to Flaco in Central Park. A feminine barred owl in Central Park was killed in 2021 after colliding with a parks division truck, and she or he was later determined to have rat poison in her system that would have impaired her flying capacity. However the dangers are better outdoors of the park. For one factor, using rodenticides inside Central Park was suspended, at least temporarily, earlier this yr. And there are way more automobiles on the common streets of Manhattan than throughout the park, the place motor vehicles are not allowed except for these pushed by park staff or emergency providers.
