Barn Owl Family Makes Historic Nest on Upper West Side Water Tank

A pair of barn owls and their chicks have taken up residence in a water tank atop a building on West 75th Street, marking the first documented nest of the species in Manhattan’s modern record. Migration ecologist Andrew Farnsworth of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology said the find is “totally shocking” because no recorded history shows a barn‑owl nest inside the borough. The discovery was first reported on Oct 6 when resident Elisabeth Williams and her husband spotted several owls on the tower and alerted a local news outlet, after they had already seen a lone owl on an apartment windowsill a few days earlier. The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation notes that barn‑owl sightings in city parks are very rare; the city lies at the northern edge of the bird’s range and the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation says the species has been declining at an alarming rate. Birdwatcher David Barrett, who runs the Manhattan Bird Alert page, has counted at least two adult owls and five fledglings, with some observers reporting six young birds. He has also seen an adult bring a rodent back to the tank. Nightly crowds of onlookers and photographers gather on the street, with about 20 people recorded watching on one evening. Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance, called the event “magical” and noted how owls captivate both birders and casual residents. The phenomenon follows earlier New York bird icons such as the woodcocks in Bryant Park, Flaco the Eurasian eagle‑owl who died in 2024, and Pale Male the red‑tailed hawk who nested on Fifth Avenue for three decades.

Context

Barn owls prefer open fields and farmland; urban nests like this are uncommon because the birds need quiet, dark roosts and a supply of small mammals. The Upper West Side tower provides a rare combination of height, seclusion and nearby rodent prey, allowing the family to thrive despite the city’s overall decline in suitable habitat.