Memorials sprang up in New York City over the weekend in honor of Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl who died on Friday after apparently striking a building on the Upper West Side.
His ability to thrive for a year in Manhattan after escaping from the Central Park Zoo last February captivated much of the city, offering an enchanting object lesson about the power of instinct and the beauty of urban wildlife.
His death may prove equally instructive.
Flaco is among the estimated one billion birds that will die this year in the United States after striking buildings.
Building strikes are one of the main causes of death for birds — and one of the easiest threats to solve, according to Christine Sheppard, director of the glass collisions program at the American Bird Conservancy.
Persons:
Christine Sheppard
Organizations:
Central, Zoo, Bird Conservancy
Locations:
New York City, Manhattan, United States