A memorial service was held for Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl, who managed to escape from his vandalized enclosure at the Central Park Zoo and lived as a wild bird for over a year. The service drew a large crowd of several hundred fans on Sunday, who gathered to pay their respects to the apex predator. During the service, speakers eulogized Flaco, praising his resilience and his determination to live a life of freedom, despite the odds stacked against him.
Flaco, who was just about to celebrate his 14th birthday this month, left a lasting impression on those he encountered in Manhattan with his adventurous spirit. He was not only commemorated through heartfelt words, but also through poems and songs that served as a tribute to the inspiration he brought to others.
Photographer Jacqueline Emery, who captured numerous photographs of the owl in its natural habitat, expressed her fondness for Flaco’s hooting during her speech to the audience.
According to Emery, he was only beginning to discover his unique voice. Over time, his hoots would grow louder and more self-assured.
A significant number of people gathered around one of Flaco’s beloved oak trees in Central Park’s North Woods, where a spontaneous memorial had been set up following his passing. The occasion was named “Flaco Remembrance Day” by the organizers. The service was live-streamed, allowing individuals from all corners of the globe to participate and observe.
Lynn Johnston, a resident of Manhattan, fondly remembers the moments she spent with Flaco, a majestic bird with a six-foot wingspan. She recalls how Flaco would stretch his wings while perched on a tree, creating a beautiful sight to behold.
Jonathan Green, a musician from New York City, captivated the audience with a heartfelt performance of his own composition dedicated to Flaco. The song reverberated through the air as he sang, “Ooh, ooh, Flaco the owl… upon my roof. Ooh, ooh, Flaco the owl, I’m so like you, always wondering who.”
Elijah Shiffer, another musician, treated the audience to a soulful saxophone performance, sharing that his inspiration for the song came from Flaco.
Wildlife photographer David Lei captivated the audience with his remarkable account of Flaco’s journey to survival in the bustling metropolis. Lei vividly described how he witnessed the owl’s awe-inspiring transformation over the course of a year, from being a seemingly clumsy flyer to mastering the art of navigation in New York City. He reminisced about the early days when Flaco would leave a trail of fallen branches wherever he flew, yet marveled at how the owl gradually honed his skills and adapted to his urban surroundings.
Lei expressed her hope for a quick and smooth rescue for Flaco. However, to their surprise, Flaco had different plans and astonishingly morphed into a majestic wild bird right before their very eyes.
Broadway playwright Nan Knighton, who spotted Flaco perched on the narrow ledge outside her 13th-floor Upper East Side apartment on Nov. 14, was captivated by the owl’s gaze for three hours. Inspired by this encounter, she penned a heartfelt poem titled “A Celebration of Flaco.”
Knighton recited her poem to the crowd, lamenting the empty rooftops and bare railings. She expressed the absence of graceful owls cruising the air and the lack of gentle hooting to soften the night. The poet beautifully described the absence of gold-brindled feathers catching the light.
During the event, New York astrologer Breanne Delgado, who led the proceedings, shared a heartfelt list of words provided by Flaco fans to capture the essence of the adored owl. The list included words like majestic, joy, inspiring, freedom, heavenly, faithful, warrior, heroic, and indefatigable.
Delgado expressed her admiration for his story of resilience and his ability to embrace change. She believes that we can all draw inspiration from his journey and learn to break free from the societal systems that seek to disempower us.
According to a statement from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Flaco, the peregrine falcon, sadly passed away on Feb. 23. It is believed that he collided with a building on West 89th Street in Manhattan. The WCS, responsible for overseeing the Central Park Zoo, provided this information.
Flaco, a once little-known bird, became an overnight sensation when he went missing on February 2, 2023. He had been living in a small enclosure in Central Park since 2010 when he first arrived in the city as a young bird from a North Carolina sanctuary. The New York Police Department revealed that a vandal had cut a hole in the steel mesh surrounding Flaco’s enclosure, allowing him to escape into the bustling streets of New York City.
The authorities are still investigating the case, and as of now, no arrests have been made.
Experts were initially concerned about Flaco’s ability to survive on his own. The Central Park Zoo, managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), took immediate action to help him. They formed a team and employed various tactics such as setting traps, using nets, and playing audio recordings of female Eurasian eagle owls to attract him.
After approximately one week on the run, the elusive bird managed to teach himself how to hunt and refine his flying abilities. In a statement released on February 12, 2023, zoo officials announced that they would no longer pursue efforts to capture him. They expressed their relief, stating, “Initially, there was a significant worry about Flaco’s ability to find food and sustain himself, but that is no longer a concern.”
New York City Council member Gale Brewer, who represents the Upper West Side, expressed her admiration for the “wonderful” ceremony held on Sunday to honor Flaco. She was particularly impressed by the significant turnout of people who came to pay their respects.
According to Brewer, who attended the ceremony, Flaco generated a great deal of excitement among many individuals. She expressed her satisfaction with the fact that the proposed legislation, which aims to safeguard birds in New York by mandating bird-friendly designs, especially in the windows of new or extensively modified state buildings, has been renamed the FLACO Act.
