Escaped owl may be on a hopeless hunt for love in NYC

An escaped New York owl might be on a hopeless search for love, according to experts.

Flaco, a majestic Eurasian eagle-owl, has been living free in New York City’s Central Park since he escaped from the park’s zoo in February after vandals damaged his cage.

Flaco has so far opted not to stray too far from Central Park. However, experts reckon the famed owl is now broadening his horizons, travelling further afield to find love.

It comes after he was spotted last Monday in New York’s East Village, around five miles from where he usually hangs out, NPR reported. Two days later, he was seen perched atop an air conditioner further south in the Lower East Side.

Birder David Barrett, who runs the popular Manhattan Bird Alert account on X, said Flaco may have travelled a further distance in order to find a mate. But sadly, he predicted Flaco’s attempts may be futile since there are “no mates are anywhere in the region.”

“We think that Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl left Central Park in search of a mate,” he said. “It’s the time of year when these owls look to pair up if unattached. Flaco’s hoots have gone unanswered for a long time now. He is unaware that no mates are anywhere in the region.”

Eurasian eagle-owls aren’t native to North America, meaning Flaco would have to fly across the ocean to find his own kind in the wild. While bird experts have said it is possible he could mate with a different owl species, they have explained this is unlikely.

There was speculation earlier this year that Flaco was possibly wooing a female great horned owl called Geraldine, who has been living in Central Park since January 2022, after he spent Valentine’s Day near her patch, the New Yorker reported.

But Andrew Farnsworth of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology told New York City news site Hell Gate in February it was “probably a fanciful ‘what if’” to imagine Flaco mating with Geraldine.

Meanwhile, Yale ornithology professor Richard Prum told the outlet he believed there was “no chance” or “next to no chance” that Geraldine and Flaco could be a match.

Flaco’s adoring fans were left devastated by the news that Flaco’s search for love could ultimately be futile. “I can’t believe I’m crying big smudgy tears because an owl’s love life is fated never to be,” one person said on Twitter.

However, sex therapist Dr Ruth Westheimer was slightly more optimistic about Flaco’s chances.

“I say Flaco and every single person should never give up on finding a mate and it was very wise of this owl to look elsewhere since no other owls were in Central Park,” she said.

Mr Barrett also suggested there could be another explanation for Flaco’s new appetite for travel. He suggested the owl could have left Central Park due to a flock of crows that had been bothering him daily.

He also explained that Flaco is used to living a solitary life after living in captivity for 13 years, where he did not have a mate. “Owls can be fine without mates,” Mr Barrett said.

“Eurasian Eagle-Owls are solitary most of the year even when they have mates, so Flaco can be fine without one,” he added.

Nonetheless, Flaco’s fans are rooting for him to find love. “Find Flaco a girlfriend!” one person said.

Flaco has so far evaded capture by New York authorities, who opted to call off a mission to take him back to Central Park Zoo two weeks after he escaped.

Zoo officials said they were suspending recovery operations after the owl showed signs he was eating again following concerns for his health.

Flaco has earned celebrity status since his escape, captivating audiences wherever he goes. Twitter has been aflutter with sightings, and the hashtag #freeflaco, as well as an online petition to keep him free.

He was less than a year old when he made his home at the Central Park Zoo in 2010.