Body Of Beloved Owl, Flaco, Will Be Kept At American Museum Of Natural History

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Partial remains of Flaco, the beloved Eurasian eagle-owl, will be preserved at an Upper West Side museum near where he spent most of his life, zoo officials announced this week.

Flaco’s wings and other tissue samples were taken to the American Museum of Natural History to become part of its scientific collection following his March necropsy, which found high levels of "debilitating" rodenticide in his body.

The Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and the New York Aquarium, said Flaco's other remains will be housed at the Bronx Zoo’s Wildlife Health Center.

"These collections are used extensively by scientists and also by artists who develop images for educational materials, including birding field guides. The remains will not be on public view," zoo officials said.

The tale of Flaco, from his daring escape from the Central Park Zoo following vandalism to his enclosure to his year-long escapade before his demise in February, captured the fascination and hearts of New Yorkers.

Flaco became a social media sensation as residents shared pictures of him and provided updates on his whereabouts throughout the city. However, Flaco ultimately passed away, with zoo officials stating in March of this year that rat poison played a role in his death.

Additionally, Bronx Zoo veterinary pathologists discovered that Flaco had contracted a "severe" pigeon virus from consuming feral birds, which appears to have significantly impacted the owl by causing damage to multiple vital organs.

For local bird watchers, the news came as no surprise. Many had speculated that Flaco was sick just before he died, attributing his lack of hooting in the days leading up to his death as a potential sign of illness, as previously reported by Patch.

"We knew he was sick," wrote one Flaco fan on X, formerly known as Twitter. "It’s just too bad we didn’t know where he was. He was hiding and suffering in silence during that week ."

Flaco’s severe illness and death were ultimately attributed to a combination of factors—infectious disease, toxin exposures, and traumatic injuries—that underscore the hazards faced by wild birds, especially in an urban setting.

Following his death, proposed state legislation aimed at obligating building owners to mitigate the risk of bird collisions with windows was renamed in his honor.

"By renaming our legislation to require state-owned buildings to incorporate bird-friendly designs, we’ll not only honor this magnificent creature but hopefully inspire our legislative colleagues to pass both the FLACO Act and the Dark Skies Protection Act," State Sen. Hoylman-Sigal, who represents the Upper West Side district, said.

Council Member Shaun Abreu introduced legislation earlier this year, also with Flaco in mind, to limit rat poison’s use in the city.

Prior to Flaco's full necropsy results being released in March, THE CITY published an examination of last year's necropsy results, finding most of the examined birds had been poisoned by rodenticide.

City parks restrict the use of rodenticides inside parks during the nesting season—from February to August—but their use is unrestricted elsewhere.

"It's time we put new practices in place to build a better, safer, more eco-friendly city," Abreu said. "We can't poison our way out of the rat problem, but we can certainly do a lot of damage trying."

As of Wednesday, approximately 5,400 individuals had signed an online petition advocating for a life-size statue of Flaco to be erected in Central Park. Another petition urging the police and the conservation society to "relaunch" the investigation into the vandalism of his enclosure had garnered nearly 60,000 signatures.

"Flaco was more than just an owl; he embodied the spirit of New York City and its inhabitants. His loss is a stark reminder of our collective responsibility towards the animals in our care," the petition states. "Our wildlife deserves better."

Related coverage:

• Fugitive Central Park Zoo Owl Eludes UES Police Tactics On Madison Ave
• Flaco, The Escaped Central Park Zoo Owl, Has Died: Officials
• Superb Owl: Flaco Adapts To Life In Central Park, Consumes Rat
• NYC Celebrates As Flaco The Freedom Owl Feasts On A Rat