A rare family of barn owls has taken up residence in a water tower on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, near Central Park. Residents report hearing loud screeches at night and initially mistaking the calls for signs of distress. As word spreads, people gather outside to see the birds.
Outlets describe the sighting as unusually uncommon, with one migration ecologist characterizing the discovery of a nest as “shocking.” Coverage focuses mainly on public fascination and the surprise of the encounter in an urban setting, highlighting how an unexpected wildlife event draws attention from local residents and bird watchers.
While the reports emphasize different details—such as the initial confusion about the sounds versus the rarity of the nest—they broadly agree on the location, the presence of a breeding pair or family, and that the owls are actively nesting in the water tower.
