Author Talk: Jacqueline Emery and David Lei, "Finding Flaco"

Did you fall in love with Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo?  So many did. 

Darien Library, Darien Nature Center and Darien Land Trust welcome authors authors Jacqueline Emery and David Lei who will discuss their new book, Finding Flaco: Our Year with New York City's Beloved Owl.

Flaco landed on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan bewildered and afraid after his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo was vandalized on February 2, 2023. Many feared for his safety and welfare because he could not fly well and had never hunted before. He evaded rescue for the next two weeks and began to embrace his new life as a wild owl. Flaco initially settled in Central Park and later explored neighborhoods around Manhattan, enchanting New Yorkers everywhere he went. He sadly and unexpectedly died a year after his release on February 23, 2024, when the hazards of the urban environment finally caught up with him.

Wildlife photographers Jacqueline Emery and David Lei were immediately fascinated by Flaco and observed him more than 150 times, from the night of his release until the week before his death. The photos and firsthand accounts they shared contributed to making Flaco one of the most well-known and beloved animals in the world. Finding Flaco tells the story of this beautiful, charismatic, and intelligent bird based on the intimate looks that Emery and Lei had into his life. They document Flaco’s remarkable transformation as he learned how to do owly things like fly, hunt, establish territory, protect himself from mobbing birds, and adapt to the four seasons. And they draw exciting parallels between Flaco’s behavior and that of the other owls who have recently resided in the park. The book also examines how and why Flaco meant so much to so many, showcasing stories and artwork by some of Flaco’s most ardent admirers.

Although Flaco’s adventures in the city ended tragically, his legacy lives on. The book explores the community response to his death and ongoing efforts to make New York safer for raptors and other birds. Emery and Lei also offer insights gleaned from their observations of nearly twenty wild Eurasian eagle-owls in Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands and their conversations with local conservationists and researchers.

About the Authors

Jacqueline Emery’s interest in birding began in 2019 when a spunky tufted titmouse caught her eye in Central Park. Soon after, she began photographing birds and other wildlife in and around NYC. Her fascination with owling took flight when observing and photographing Barry the barred owl, who lived in Central Park from October 2020 through August 2021.

Jacqueline’s work has been published by the New York Times and other news organizations. She is passionate about wildlife conservation and volunteers with the NYC Plover Project, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting piping plovers that nest on city beaches. 

When she is not with the birds, Jacqueline teaches literature and chairs the English Department at SUNY Old Westbury on Long Island. Her book, Recovering Native American Writings in the Boarding School Press, won the 2018 Popular Cultural Association Ray & Pat Browne Award for Best Edited Collection in Popular Culture and American Culture and was named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2018.

David Lei started photographing birds and wildlife in 2018 with his first African safari. That safari ignited a new passion that David brought back with him to the parks, rivers, and beaches in and around New York. David’s spark bird as he took up birding was the snowy owl, and he was finally able to see his first when one improbably visited Central Park in early 2021. Today, he is best known for his long exposure night-time photographs of owls in urban environments. 

David’s work has been published by the New York Times and other news organizations. He is a proud supporter of the New York City Audubon, the Wild Bird Fund, the NYC Plover Project, and other local organizations focused on the welfare of birds.

When he is not with the birds, David makes real estate investments globally on behalf of endowments, foundations, pension plans, and other institutional investors. David has also taught a real estate course at Baruch College, City University of New York.