Barry the Barred Owl, whose majestic existence and unusually extroverted demeanor made her a beloved Central Park superstar, died early Friday in a collision with a Central Park Conservancy maintenance auto.

She was most possible just above a year aged based on her feather shade, according to Robert DeCandido, regarded as “Birding Bob,” who has guided bird walks in Central Park for far more than 25 many years. Birding professionals experienced realized in the latest months that Barry was woman.

In excess of the previous year, as Barry made a residence for herself on the branch of a hemlock in Central Park’s Ramble, she made a cultishly devoted next of birders, photographers, joggers and other New Yorkers who came to depend on her for cheer and comfort throughout a yr of grief for New York City.

Barry died around 2:30 a.m., when she “made contact” with the auto of a two-particular person Central Park Conservancy maintenance crew, the conservancy claimed on Twitter. The vehicle was driving close to the park performing early-early morning inspection and cleanup, the conservancy’s chief communications officer, Mary Caraccioli, stated.

The owl was most likely traveling throughout Central Park’s West Travel to catch prey, in accordance to the conservancy, and was not in the line of sight of the car driver, who was transferring at or down below 15 miles for each hour, the conservancy said.

Staff reported the incident quickly, the conservancy reported.

“This owl meant so significantly to so lots of folks,” reported Eric