UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — For the first time that anyone can recall, barn owls have nested in Manhattan, drawing bird experts and residents to a rooftop water tower on West 75th Street to watch the birds raise their young.
Upper West Side resident JF Grossen said he became invested in the owls after hearing them behind his apartment.
“We don’t have connection to nature so when something like this… a miracle happens, it’s pretty cool,” Grossen said.
The owls, believed to include two adults and five fledglings, nested on the rooftop water tower. Each night, the parents returned to feed their young.
The situation drew concern after workers began dismantling the water tower last week. The birds had built their nest there, and harming the birds or destroying their nest is a crime.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a cease-and-desist order.
On Monday, Eyewitness News was told that a new nesting box had been installed for the birds, and construction was allowed to continue.
“I’ve heard Monday from NYSDEC allowed workers to resume reconstruction of the water tower for purposes of making certain that residents get clean drinking water,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Lander.
Despite the new nesting box, it appears the birds have left the area.
It would be hard for the babies to stay in their new nest with all the construction noise and workers nearby.
New Yorkers expressed hope that the owl family found a quieter place to live.
“All owls are magical. Captivate New Yorkers. Nocturnal. Secretive. Hard to find. First time I know of barn owls nesting in Manhattan,” said Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance.
The birds have attracted widespread attention. The New York Road Runners canceled a drone show Friday before the marathon to protect the owl family.
Whether the young owls return to West 75th Street someday to start families of their own remains an open question, but residents and bird enthusiasts say the owls have already captured hearts across the city.
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