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fiendishrabbit t1_j955cfm wrote

Reply to comment by drmehmetoz in Flaco the escaped zoo owl can remain in the wilds of NYC by citytiger

Eurasian Eagle-Owl and Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) have hybridized before (in zoo populations).

The Great Horned Owl is native to New York, so I would not rule it out.

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drmehmetoz t1_j959mv7 wrote

Possible but unlikely. There’s going to be some pretty significant behavioral differences between him and any great horned owls, especially if he’s been in a zoo his whole life. The behavioral differences will make it hard to find a mate. Released zoo animals are less likely to find a wild mate (and that’s not even considering that he’s a different species lol)

Also great horned owl breeding season started weeks ago so he’s gonna have to pick up the pace if he wants to find a mate. He’s already behind so he would need to find a territory, nesting site, and a willing mate in the next 2-3 weeks

Also great horned owls are semi-uncommon in the city so he’ll have pretty limited options. If he’s still in central park I think there is actually a single female there though

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HouseOfSteak t1_j983l35 wrote

They can live around 20 in the wild and up to 60 in captivity, it's not like he's only got one shot.

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drmehmetoz t1_j98g25f wrote

Oh I kinda assumed they would be trying to recapture him later on, but if they give up totally then I totally agree!

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