Central Park's owl Barry had 'lethal' levels of rat poison in her body when she ...

Central Park's owl Barry had 'lethal' levels of rat poison in her body when she ...
Central Park's owl Barry had 'lethal' levels of rat poison in her body when she ...

It was fowl play.

Central Park's beloved barred owl, Barry, had 'potentially lethal' levels of rat poison in her liver when she flew into a truck and was killed last month, according to a necropsy report.

The chemicals could have effected her motor skills, causing her to fly into the truck that hit her or preventing her from avoiding it, according to the report. 

The state Department of Environmental Conservation report determined that the amount of rat killers bromadiolone and difethialone in Barry's system could have given her a 'fatal hemorrhage' even if she hadn't been hit.

In a cruel twist of fate, the celebrity among Manhattan bird-watchers was killed when she 'made contact with' a Central Park Conservancy maintenance vehicle around 2.30 am on August 6, the non-profit announced on Twitter. 

Barry was described in a November 2020 New York Times feature as 'a performer' who made 'regular daytime appearances' and was 'seemingly unfazed by adoring fans and the paparazzi, who have already made him Instagram-famous'

Barry was described in a November 2020 New York Times feature as 'a performer' who made 'regular daytime appearances' and was 'seemingly unfazed by adoring fans and the paparazzi, who have already made him Instagram-famous'

It's unclear where the owl was poisoned - Central Park officials said they had last used bromadiolone at the park during a two-week period in July to address a rat infestation, The City reported. Although non-pesticide interventions are preferred, rat poisons like bromadiolone are used 'when there is significant rodent activity' and less-invasive methods don't do the trick

It's unclear where the owl was poisoned - Central Park officials said they had last used bromadiolone at the park during a two-week period in July to address a rat infestation, The City reported. Although non-pesticide interventions are preferred, rat poisons like bromadiolone are used 'when there is significant rodent activity' and less-invasive methods don't do the trick

In a cruel twist of fate, the celebrity among Manhattan bird watchers 'made contact with' by a Central Park Conservancy maintenance vehicle around 2.30 am on August 6, the non-profit announced on Twitter that day.

 In a cruel twist of fate, the celebrity among Manhattan bird watchers 'made contact with' by a Central Park Conservancy maintenance vehicle around 2.30 am on August 6, the non-profit announced on Twitter that day.

Since it was first spotted in the park on October 9, the owl drew droves of birdwatchers and fans, even inspiring social media alerts when she was sighted. Now, an area of the park has been dedicated as a memorial for the bird, laden with flowers, owl figurines and notes from children and adults alike

Since it was first spotted in the park on October 9, the owl drew droves of birdwatchers and fans, even inspiring social media alerts when she was sighted. Now, an area of the park has been dedicated as a memorial for the bird, laden with flowers, owl figurines and notes from children and adults alike

Commenters were incensed by the park's responsibility-shirking announcement. 

'What does it say about your “conservancy” when your... vehicles are hitting and killing the park’s most well known and beloved ambassador?' asked @evanmustard 'I hope you will release actual details of what happened, this isn't good enough.'

The necropsy was carried out on August 10, according to NBC New York, but was not made public until Monday, after the non-profit digital news outlet The City obtained it via a Freedom of Information Law request. 

Blunt force trauma ultimately killed the bird, the report said, but the veterinarians who conducted the necropsy speculated that the poisons impaired the two-year-old owl's motor skills prevented it from avoiding the collision. 

'The bromadiolone [rat poison] level is potentially lethal,' the report reads. 'But it is unclear if it played a role in the death of this owl, i.e. was the anticoagulant affecting the owl’s ability to avoid collision with the vehicle.'

The report could not determine whether Barry was under duress before she was hit.

'Currently known as Barry, the owl has intense black eyes and elegant poufs of white feathers streaked with brown and gray. He looks like a perfect stuffed animal from a high-end toy store,' read a November 2020 feature on the bird (who was then thought to be a male) in the New York Times

 'Currently known as Barry, the owl has intense black eyes and elegant poufs of white feathers streaked with brown and gray. He looks like a perfect stuffed animal from a high-end toy store,' read a November 2020 feature on the bird (who was then thought to be a male) in the New York Times

Since it was first spotted in the park on October 9, the owl drew droves of birdwatchers and fans, even inspiring social media alerts when she was sighted

Since it was first spotted in

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