Just over a year ago, Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl captured the hearts of New Yorkers when he escaped from a Central Park Zoo enclosure that had been vandalized.

Flaco, affectionately dubbed “one of New York’s Flyest” by Mayor Eric Adams, passed away on Friday after colliding with a building in Manhattan, as announced by the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Following Flaco’s escape in February 2023, multiple attempts were made by authorities to recapture him, all unsuccessful.

Flaco became a notable attraction in Central Park, with birders and enthusiasts regularly sharing updates about his location and eating habits.

Despite prompt response from members of the Wild Bird Fund to the collision scene on Friday, the bird was declared dead, according to the WCS.

The Wild Bird Fund notified zoo staff, who retrieved the bird and transported it to the Bronx Zoo for a necropsy, CNN reported.

The Central Park Zoo had revealed on February 2, 2023, that Flaco had escaped from his enclosure due to vandalism that cut its stainless steel mesh.

Since then, Flaco had been frequently spotted in and around Central Park and various Manhattan locations, with society staff monitoring him throughout the year.

They were prepared to intervene if he exhibited any signs of difficulty or distress, as stated by the WCS.

Written by B.C. Begley