A bald eagle with a large following in New York City was unfortunately killed in a car accident last week, according to a local bird watcher.
Rover, an impressive eagle that was observed soaring above the Central Park Reservoir only a month ago, was purportedly struck by a car on Monday while foraging along the Henry Hudson Parkway, as reported by Manhattan Bird Alert.
Following the raptor’s passing, many took to social media to reminisce about their personal interactions with it – included breathtaking photos of the bird in flight or perched in different places.
“Rover was the most famous Bald Eagle in the New York City area, the only one known to both birders and non-birders alike by name,” David Barrett, who runs the Manhattan Bird Alert, told The New York Post on Wednesday.
“Bald Eagles were on the brink of extinction in the United States in the 1970s. Now New York State has well over 400 breeding pairs, and the population shows strong, continuing annual growth,” he added.
We received some sad news, that beloved Rover the Bald Eagle died today from being struck by a vehicle on the Henry Hudson Parkway while he was attempting to scavenge a small mammal.
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) February 19, 2024
Rover was last spotted in Central Park on February 14. He was given his name in remembrance of the R7 tag that was applied to him when he was just a few months old in May 2018.
Barrett claimed that Rover’s tragic demise in a car collision highlighted a significant risk that raptors face in densely populated areas. According to him, one reason why vehicle incidents involving these avian critters are frequent is their propensity to fly low over flat terrain, especially while pursuing prey.
