"Tragic End: NYC's Beloved Owl Flaco Succumbs to Rat Poison and Bird Herpes"

Flaco, the famous Eurasian eagle owl that escaped captivity and lived in New York City, was found to have fatal conditions including rat poison exposure and a pigeon virus, which would likely have killed him even if he hadn't collided with a building. The postmortem revealed severe tissue damage and inflammation in several organs due to the viral infection, as well as exposure to DDE, a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT. The combination of infectious disease, toxin exposures, and traumatic injuries ultimately led to Flaco's death, highlighting the hazards faced by wild birds, especially in an urban setting.