By Carol Tannenhauser
Barry, the barred owl who appeared in Central Park in October of 2020 and stayed, drawing a large and devoted following, died early Friday morning, after a collision with a Central Park Conservancy maintenance vehicle, a spokesperson for the Conservancy told West Side Rag. The owl was estimated to be a little over a year old, The New York Times reported.
The accident occurred on West Drive in the low 60s, at around 2:30 a.m. Recently discovered to be female, Barry was “flying low, likely in search of food, when she made contact with the vehicle,” the spokesperson said. “The two-man crew immediately contacted the park rangers, who came to help, but Barry died at the scene. The Conservancy shared the sad news on Twitter, knowing people look for this bird every day.” Indeed, New Yorkers seemed to let out a collective, “Oh, no!” when the news was released.
It’s with a heavy heart we share that a barred owl, a beloved Central Park resident, passed away early this morning. pic.twitter.com/AYEV0gXZIr
— Central Park (@CentralParkNYC) August 6, 2021
“The outpouring has been tremendous, among staff and visitors alike,” the spokesperson said. “So many people felt as inspired by Barry as we did.”
An informal vigil will be held for Barry on Monday, August 9th, at 6:30 p.m., beside her old hemlock tree near the boathouse in the Central Park Ramble. According to Manhattan Bird Alert, this would have been the day of her 10-month anniversary in the park.
Barry, we didn’t deserve you. You’ve literally been my favorite part of living in NYC this past year. Thanks for getting me out of my apartment earlier in the pandemic and for turning me into a birder during a tough period of unemployment. I’ll always miss you 😢 #birdcpp pic.twitter.com/OYyriw7hPG
— Eric Balcanoff (@ericbalcanoff) August 7, 2021
The beauty of nature is both timeless and fleeting. The #CentralPark barred #owl tragically passed away this morning. I will cherish our time with her. I took this photo just yesterday, which seems a long time ago. #birdcpp #BirdTwitter #bird #birding #nature #wildlife pic.twitter.com/y5kKHWv8fZ
— David Lei (@davidlei) August 6, 2021
Some tributes to the BARRED OWL already chalked on the path underneath her hemlock in the Central Park Ramble. pic.twitter.com/GVeH440xXQ
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) August 7, 2021
We invite those who loved Central Park’s BARRED OWL to an informal vigil for her on Monday, August 9, by her old hemlock tree near the Boathouse in the Central Park Ramble at 6:30 pm. This day would have been her ten-month anniversary in the park. pic.twitter.com/0ndIwOYrde
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) August 7, 2021
Editor’s Note: Several readers asked what a Central Park Conservancy work crew was doing out at 2:30 in the morning. A spokesperson explained that, “Because the Park is so heavily used throughout the day, our maintenance work happens 24/7. The overnight crews do a long list of regularly scheduled work that ranges from waste management to facility cleaning.”
This is so upsetting.
I agree. One of those smaller things that makes the cup overflow.
So so sad about this. RIP dear Barry.
What was this two man crew doing at 2:30 a.m?
The quarterly financial audit.
They do clean-up work overnight. Just because the park is closed doesn’t mean that there are not staff members working overnight.
Can we get another one?
rip 🙏 the parks gonna be a lonelier place with your absence 😓
What a “ Central Park Conservancy maintenance vehicle” at 2:30 am – yes that’s 2:30am at night, runs over and kills an owl in Central Park?
And all the “Central Park Conservancy” has to say is – sorry about that?
Who was driving that vehicle? Why was it being driven, obliviously at high speed, at 2:30 am in the morning?
Who’s being held accountable at the Central Park Conservancy for this senseless tragedy?
This is outrageous and completely negligent.
Central Park Conservancy, you need to step up.
I am not blaming anyone here! But I have seen those cards speed around. You might want to discuss this with the guys driving those carts!