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Barn Owls Nest in Manhattan for First Time in Modern History
Confirmed
In Short: A family of barn owls has taken up residence in a water tower on Manhattan's Upper West Side, marking the first time barn owls have nested in the area in modern history.
A family of barn owls has taken up residence in a water tower on Manhattan's Upper West Side, marking the first time barn owls have nested in the area in modern history.
The owls have drawn nightly crowds of curious New Yorkers eager to catch a glimpse of the elusive birds.
According to Andrew Farnsworth, a migration ecologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the presence of barn owls in Manhattan is 'totally shocking.'
David Barrett, who runs the social media account Manhattan Bird Alert, has observed at least one adult barn owl and five fledglings at the water tower.
Obersteiner, whose roof deck offers a prime viewing spot, has been allowing nature photographers to observe the owls almost every night since news of the owls spread.
The barn owl population has declined at an alarming rate, and New York is at the northern fringe of the barn owl’s range.
Val Coleman, a retired New York City resident, expressed her excitement, noting, 'I've only seen one barn owl ever, and that was in California.'
Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance, highlighted the excitement among New Yorkers, both birders and non-birders, about the owls.
The screech of the barn owls has been described as a 'horror movie kind of experience' and has led to some residents mistaking the sounds for a child in pain.
Obersteiner and his wife have run into their children's bedroom multiple times after mistaking the owls' screech for a child in distress.
The owls have become a source of fascination, with some residents expressing hope that the owls will avoid eating poisoned rats that contain rodenticide.
What this adds
The barn owls have become a rare and unexpected highlight for New Yorkers, blending nature and urban life in an unusual way.
What's confirmed
- This is the first documented instance of barn owls nesting in Manhattan in modern history, according to one expert, and the owls have attracted nightly crowds of people in the street eager to get a glimpse of the elusive birds.
- Obersteiner, who said his roof deck is “probably the best location in town right now” to watch the owls, has been letting nature photographers access that perch to observe the owls “almost every night” since news of the barn owls spread.
- New York is at the northern fringe of the barn owl’s range and the barn owl population has declined “at an alarming rate” over time, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
- “It was, like, totally shocking,” Andrew Farnsworth, a migration ecologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said of the barn owls.
- NEW YORK (AP) — Manhattan’s Upper West Side has been reveling in the company of its latest celebrities: A family of barn owls nested in a water tower atop a building near Central Park.
- Farnsworth said the screech is typical of barn owls, who use it to communicate with one another.
- “In a place like Manhattan, you normally really have to go out of your way to encounter nature,” she said.
- People look at American Barn Owls sit perched on a water tower on the Upper West Side neighborhood, Tuesday, Oct.
- But barn owl sightings in New York City parks are very rare, according to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
- “I think we’re about to become birders,” Williams said.
- “Having one barn owl is a rarity, but it’s not national news. Having a family, for the first time ever, breeding in Manhattan in recorded history, that’s special news,” Barrett said.
- “There’s lots of excitement among New Yorkers, both birders and non-birders alike, about these owls because owls really capture the attention,” said Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance.
What's still developing
- Nothing material beyond the confirmed record.