There's *** new star in Central Park and he's right out of central casting lately. Birdwatchers only have eyes for owls and some fans on David Barrett's birder blog are saying let Flacco be free. In the beginning of february Flacco escaped from his exhibit at the Central Park Zoo. After someone cut through the stainless steel mesh, his enclosure didn't have room to do much flying and his first night of freedom, the NYPD almost corralled him on 1/5 Avenue sidewalk. Well, that was *** hoot. The NYPD tweeted when the owl flew off, I was worried that it wouldn't be able to fly, but it spread its wings and flew to the nearest set of trees. Zoo officials were most worried flaco didn't know how to hunt since he's always had his meals delivered. They tried to lure him using *** white rat in *** cage, hoping he'd get trapped in the wiry filaments on top. The zoo team was rushing with nets to get flaco, but flaco was too fast. And now fans are snapping photos of Flacco catching his own dinner rats, rats on the menu. Barrett says the owl has gone from zero hunting skills to decent hunting skills. That's just an incredible transformation. He hangs out in Central Park, charming new Yorkers with hooting so low it requires subtitles like other creatures not native to Central Park flaco. The Eurasian eagle owl has become one of the select few and they make it, they survive. They thrive and they become stars, flaco can make it anywhere, Jeannie, moos CNN new york