Woman Reportedly Loses Arm After Alligator Attack While Swimming In Florida River<\/a><\/p>\n The family was spotted atop a water tower on the Upper West Side<\/a> in early October.<\/p>\n American barn owls are found widespread throughout North and South America.<\/p>\n “We know that in the recorded history<\/a>, which is a century and a half, maybe 175 years, that there’s been no known breeding of the species in Manhattan,” Andrew Farnsworth, a migration ecologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said. “So that’s really cool and very unique.”<\/p>\n Critically Endangered Red Wolves Make Interstate Journey In Race To Save Species<\/a><\/p>\n Elizabeth and Sam Williams told FOX News affiliate FOX 5 that they first noticed the birds<\/a> after hearing a series of distinct screeches.<\/p>\n “We didn’t even see him until we saw the illumination of the bird by a window,” Sam Williams said.<\/p>\n The nocturnal birds have drawn crowds of onlookers to the Upper West Side neighborhood after dark.<\/p>\n The couple was then able to snap photos of the bird just outside their balcony window. They used the Merlin Bird ID app to help identify it as an American<\/a> barn owl.<\/p>\n “To finally capture the photo, it was very thrilling because it was so dark. It was around 9 p.m., so we couldn’t fully make out the colors, just maybe the shape\u2026And when I saw it, I felt like I captured something really beautiful,” Elizabeth Williams told FOX 5.<\/p>\n Indiana Wildlife Rescue Performs Life-saving Surgery On Trio Of Baby Squirrels With Tails Tangled Together<\/a><\/p>\n The couple said the owl<\/a> family has been a welcome addition to the Upper West Side neighborhood.<\/p>\n The family was spotted atop a water tower on the Upper West Side.<\/p>\n “Seeing it in Manhattan is pretty rare,” Farnsworth said. “I mean, only really, in the last 10 years have there been a significant number of sightings. This is a chance to recognize, if I open my eyes, I could find cool stuff, too.”<\/p>\n According to Cornell University, American barn owls are widespread throughout North and South America<\/a>, but they do not typically establish themselves in New York City, in part because they are sensitive to cold temperatures.<\/p>\n Venomous Spiders Have A Surprising Survival Secret That Has Scientists Taking Notice<\/a><\/p>\n The birds are often found around barns and other rural, man-made structures, which they use for roosting and nesting<\/a>.<\/p>\n Birdwatchers, photographers and curious residents gather along West 75th Street near Central Park West in Manhattan, New York City, United States, on October 20, 2026, hoping to catch a glimpse of barn owls nesting on a water tower.<\/p>\n American barn owls are nocturnal hunters that feed primarily on small mammals, including voles, shrews, mice and rats.<\/p>\n A Look At How 13 Beluga Whales Came To Live At Seaworld San Antonio From Canada<\/a><\/p>\n Although breeding barn owls in Manhattan is unusual, the birds have been spotted elsewhere in the metropolitan area, including parts of Brooklyn and Queens.<\/p>\n The rare discovery has drawn birders from across the region<\/a>, many hoping to catch a glimpse of the owl family.<\/p>\n A rare family of American barn owls has been discovered in New York City.<\/p>\n How To Watch Fox Weather<\/a><\/p>\n The discovery offers a reminder that even in one of the world’s busiest cities, unexpected wildlife<\/a> encounters can still happen right in our own backyards.<\/p>\n “Birders that have seen everything there is to see in New York City and suddenly, to experience something totally new, a breeding bird that has certainly not happened in their lifetime or their grandparents’ lifetime,” Farnsworth said.<\/p>\n![\"American](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/fox_weather_articles_483\/0bd8829c0a162224fda2cc509e09c677.jpg\"\/)
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