A 'beloved' Central Park barred owl has died after accidentally crashing into a park maintenance vehicle

• A "beloved" barred owl that made its home in New York City's Central Park died early Friday.
• The owl had been "flying low" when it fatally collided with a maintenance vehicle, officials said.
• It was not clear whether the deceased owl was the famed "Barry the Barred Owl."

A "beloved" barred owl that made its home in New York City's Central Park died early Friday after crashing into a maintenance vehicle, officials said.

"It is with a heavy heart we share that a barred owl, a beloved Central Park resident, passed away early this morning," the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the sprawling 840-acre Manhattan green space, said in a tweet.

The owl had been "flying low, likely in search of a meal" when it fatally collided with a maintenance vehicle for the conservancy at around 2:30 a.m., officials said.

-Central Park (@CentralParkNYC) August 6, 2021

A Central Park Conservancy spokesperson told Insider that staffers were out "doing routine park maintenance" and "traveling slowly" in the vehicle at a speed of 15 miles-per-hour or less "with flashers and lights on when the accidental collision occured."

Officials said conservancy staffers immediately reported the incident and Urban Park Rangers were contacted.

"The barred owl's presence in Central Park brought so much joy, reminding all of us that the Park is a vital greenspace for all New Yorkers, including the wildlife that call it home," the conservancy tweeted.

It was not clear whether the deceased owl was the famed "Barry the Barred Owl."

"We cannot say for certain if it was Barry, but we can confirm it was a barred owl," a Central Park Conservancy spokesperson told Insider.