'Barry' The Central Park Barred Owl Killed by Truck
A Barred Owl which attracted thousands of admirers to Central Park since October 2020 has been killed when it was hit by a Central Park Conservancy vehicle on 6th August.
Despite being a female the owl named Barry had become a popular sight in the park and during lockdown provided much enjoyment to many New Yorkers.
Announcing the news on their Twitter feed Central Park Conservancy said:
“It’s with a heavy heart that we share that a barred owl, a beloved Central Park resident, passed aware early this morning.”
“Flying low, likely in search of a meal, the barred owl made contact with a Conservancy maintenance vehicle at approximately 2:30am. Conservancy staff immediately reported the incident and Urban Park Rangers were contacted.”
“The barred owl’s presence in Central Park brough so much joy, reminding all of us that the park is a vital greenspace for all New Yorkers, including the wildlife that call it home.”
The news was met with sadness those who has seen Barry and who took to Twitter on hearing the news.
@davidlei said: I often watched the #CentralPark barred #owl fly out as a nightly ritual after work. Never got old. Last night, I could only visit her in my photos & memories. RIP Barry, thank you so much for your time with us!
@maClark71772093 wrote: “She took a chance on big city life and in turn brought us so much joy, especially during this pandemic nightmare. RIP majestic Barry, the Queen of Central Park”
However others expressed anger and questioned how the accident involving a Conservancy vehicle could have happened.
@rhtkdjudo wrote :” I have questions. How could a nocturnal bird with incredibly sharp eyesight and hearing “make contact” with a vehicle? Was she run over by a speeding vehicle while she was feeding on her prey? Let’s hear an explanation.”
@jdumes98 called for better precautions to be taken by park staff, “There should be an investigation into how this happened and how it can be prevented. There was one owl in the park and y’all managed to kill her. There should be better precautions to prevent other people and animals from getting killed by your vehicles.”
The Central Park Conservancy, which is responsible for the care and maintenance of the space, said the team were carrying out scheduled works and followed all protocols by travelling slowly at 15mph (24km/h) with the vehicle's lights and flashers on.
Since the creation of the park, more than 280 bird species have been recorded in the park.
16 Aug 2021
Share this story
