Flaco still causing a flap on Lower East Side

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | Flaco, the famous rebel eagle-owl of New York, seems to have found a new home — at least temporarily — on the Lower East Side.

Manhattan Bird Alert today reposted to X (formerly known as Twitter) video taken yesterday night by Molly (a stage manager and self-described “night owler”) of the runaway raptor perched atop a rooftop on what appears to be one of the Grand Street co-ops.

“Potato alert: Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl, making his presence known from the rooftops of the Lower East Side on Thursday night,” the post said.

Flaco means “skinny” in Spanish — but after gorging on New York City’s overflowing smorgasbord of tasty rats, he’s admittedly taken on more of a spud-like shape.

Potato alert: Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl, making his presence known from the rooftops of the Lower East Side on Thursday night 🥔🌃🦉🔊✈️

My camera only picked up some of the hoots, but they were very audible in person, despite the street noise!#birdcpp #owl #birdwatching pic.twitter.com/QIzMS749MD

— Molly (@Molly_Bangles) November 10, 2023

As The Village Sun reported yesterday, Robin Herbst, a resident of the East River Houses, on Wednesday night snapped a photo of Flaco perched outside her window on her air conditioner unit.

In the X video, the solitary bird of prey is seen perched atop a corner of the red-brick high-rise, brooding, looking out over the gritty streets of the Lower East Side. Silhouetted against the dark night sky, with his tufted ears, folded wings and hunched shoulders, he looks a bit like Batman — or at least The Coon from “Southpark.” He drops down to a balcony below, then spreads his wings and swoops around to several nearby buildings to the delight of onlookers.

Despite the distance from the street and the din of motor vehicle noise, the eagle-owl can be heard hooting into the night. He may well be calling out for a mate — which is why Flaco fans surmise he recently flew off from his Central Park stomping ground.

But will any female even give a hoot? Indeed, Flaco’s quest for a life partner may be in vain. He’s reportedly the only Eurasian eagle-owl in the wild in all of North America.