Flaco the Owl's cause of death revealed: Beloved bird was suffering from PIGEON ... trends now
If Flaco the Owl had not died when he flew into an Upper West Side building, he would have been killed by pigeon herpes and rat poison that he had in his system from eating feral pests, a necropsy report has revealed.
Flaco had captivated the hearts and minds of New Yorkers, soaring over Central Park and hooting from the trees after vandals helped him escape captivity last year.
Hundreds turned out for his funeral last month, gathering to weep at his favorite haunts, after he was found lying dead in a courtyard on February 23.
A month later, a necropsy report has finally revealed his cause of death to be 'traumatic injuries' from flying into the building, but the report found he also had pigeon herpes and rat poison in his system that would have killed him soon after.
The report said: 'These factors would have been debilitating and ultimately fatal, even without a traumatic injury, and may have predisposed him to flying into or falling from the building.'
A necropsy report has finally revealed Flaco's cause of death to be 'traumatic injuries' from flying into a building as well as pigeon herpes and rat poison in his system
Flaco became an inspiration and joy to many as he flew around Manhattan after someone let him out of his zoo enclosure
Flaco was found dead on the Upper West Side on Feb. 23 after apparently hitting a building
David Barrett, a bird enthusiast who runs a social media page that documented the owl's movements told Reuters: 'Though these results remind us of the tragedy of Flaco´s passing, they also bring understanding and closure.'
Flaco was a rare Eurasian Eagle-Owle who lived in the Central Park Zoo until he was reported missing from his exhibit last February.
It was later revealed that vandals had cut Flaco's stainless steel mesh cage and set the owl free into the skies of New York City.
Against all odds, Flaco survived on his own, despite fears that his plush life at the zoo - where he was fed and tended to by workers - had set him up for failure.
But his inspiring life was cut tragically short on February 23.
The owl died after flying into a water tower on West 86th Street east of Columbus Avenue in the Upper West Side.
Reports of hoots had been heard in the area, and his body was found just a few blocks away - confirming what Flaco's fans had feared after hearing the news of distressed hoots on his regular stomping ground.
Now a postmortem has discovered the detailed causes of his death.
Central Park Zoo shared the report, saying: 'Bronx Zoo veterinary pathologists determined that in addition to the traumatic injuries, Flaco had two significant underlying conditions.
'He had a severe pigeon herpesvirus from eating feral pigeons that had become part of his diet, and exposure to four different anticoagulant rodenticides that are commonly used for rat control in New York City.
'The identified herpesvirus can be carried by healthy pigeons but may cause fatal disease in birds of
