Bald Eagle named 'Rover' spotted in Central Park
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- Eagle-eyed bird watchers are flocking to Central park, hoping to get a glimpse of the newest celebrity to visit Manhattan.
Rover is a bald eagle who was spotted Monday morning in Central Park.
The bird with a 6-foot wingspan was spotted around 7:30 a.m. on the southeast side of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
It is not the first time Rover has been spotted, and experts say it's a great victory for conservation.
Bald eagles were in big trouble, and in small numbers, not so long ago.
David Barrett of Twitter's Manhattan Bird Alert says there are now more than 400 pairs nesting in New York State.
He said while eagles to fly over Central Park from time to time, Rover seems to be sticking around.
"This bald eagle nicknamed Rover came to Brooklyn over the last couple years and is now in Central Park, we know who it is and its history because we have a tag on it," Barrett said. "Rover grew up in Connecticut in 2018 then moved to Brooklyn a couple of years ago and became a big favorite of birders there."
Barrett calls the reservoir on 90th Street a kind of cafeteria as eagles like to eat smaller birds and fish.
Barret said bald eagles have been known to even kill deer before.
Other bird watchers managed to get some amazing pictures of the majestic bird on other occasions.
Brad Balliett took slow-motion footage of Rover on January 24.
Balliett said the bird circled a few times and ate the remains of a gull before heading south from the park.
Rover has been around for at least a couple weeks and hope is soaring that he will stay.
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