A rare family of barn owls has turned part of Manhattan into its nighttime hunting ground, giving New York City birders a sight many have waited years to see.
The barn owls were first spotted on Oct. 6 and have gained the attention of the local birding community.
“Barn owls are extremely rare in the urban areas of New York City,” David Barrett told AccuWeather. “I birded Central Park for eight years, nearly every day, before I ever saw a barn owl.”
A barn owl spotted in New York City. (X/@BirdCenntralPark)
The family, including five juveniles and two parents, is nesting atop a building off West 75th Street near Central Park West inside an abandoned wooden water tank.
The location puts the owls close to Central Park, where they can hunt for rodents after dark.
“To have them residing and breeding now on the Upper West Side is wonderful and unprecedented: the first time in recorded history that barn owls have nested in Manhattan,” Barrett said.
A family of barn owls seen on an abandoned water tank in New York City. (X/@BirdCentralPark)
People in the Big Apple hoping to catch a glimpse of the rare owl family should have plenty of time, though the birds are most active at night when they leave the nest to hunt.
“The parents, who mate for life, likely will stay where they are, as they have made this their home and have successfully breeded here,” Barrett explained. “As long as the water tank remains open, they probably will continue to use it.”
Two barn owls sitting on an old wooden water tank in New York City. (X/@BirdCentralPark)
The younger owls are also expected to remain nearby for now as they learn to hunt on their own, giving birders a rare chance to watch a new generation of barn owls grow up in the heart of Manhattan.