Over the last few days, Flaco’s new habits have begun to come into view. He seems to now be roosting, but not always in the same place, in the southern end of the “Alphabet” in the East Village. He then seems to be flying out and staking his claim to tall buildings around Corlears Hook Park.

After this it’s unclear what he’s doing. Tonight he went to the north end of the Lower East Side, hooted on two perches on a high building before diving down. He may have or may not have ended up in Hamilton Fish Park. It’s unclear where he is hunting.

Flaco is a feral Eurasian Eagle-Owl, who was released by vandal(s) in February. He does not belong in Manhattan. It’s been fascinating to see him adjust so quickly to life outside of the zoo, but he just isn’t equipped to survive on the rodenticide laden streets of New York. While it was lucky he stayed in Central Park for as long as he did, it was only a matter of time that he would move on.

He’s free because the Wildlife Conservation Society lost control of the narrative to a selfish self-promoting social media influencer. The free Flaco movement wasn’t and isn’t about Flaco’s well being. It’s a way of growing social media followers and getting likes.