Full Breakdown
Barn Owls Nest on Manhattan’s Upper West Side
By Drooid · · How we work
Discovery and Public Interest
In mid-September, residents of the Upper West Side began hearing “loud raspy screeching” at night. After a local news report identified the sounds as barn owls, birders discovered a pair of adult barn owls nesting in the hollow of a water tower near 76th Street and Central Park West. Photographs and sightings confirmed two adult owls and up to six fledglings. The site quickly became a nightly gathering point; on one evening, about 20 people watched the birds from a nearby roof deck, and the phenomenon has drawn both seasoned birders and casual onlookers to the block.
Ecological Context
Barn owls (Tyto alba) are at the northern edge of their range in New York and are considered “extremely rare” in the city, according to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation notes that the species’ population has declined “at an alarming rate.” Because the owls hunt rodents, they are exposed to the city’s widespread use of rodenticide, which can poison predators that consume contaminated rats.
Community Response
Local residents, many of whom had never bird-watched before, now hope to become regular observers. The excitement reflects a broader New York fascination with urban raptors, echoing past enthusiasm for species such as the red-tailed hawk “Pale Male.”
Official Statements & Responses
The city’s Parks Department reiterated that barn owls are a rare urban sighting and encouraged the public to observe the birds without disturbing the nest.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — David Barrett
- “There’s lots of excitement among New Yorkers, both birders and non-birders alike, about these owls because owls really capture the attention,” — Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance
- “At dusk, we hope they will come out to hunt. We hope they don’t eat poisoned rats with rodenticide in ’em.” — Thomas Obersteiner
- “It's a truly special experience ... that people can come out to a public space like this and look at these owls at night,” — David Barrett
- “The presence of a nest right in the middle of the country's biggest city is really exciting,” — Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance
- “Rats in New York City are often poisoned by rodenticide, meant to kill the rats. But actually what it does is kill the predators that feed on those rats. And if barn owls are eating several rats a day, they are likely to fall prey to this horrible death,” — Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance