Rare barn owls nest on Manhattan water tower, drawing nightly crowds

Several barn owls have nested in a water tower on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, attracting nightly crowds of birdwatchers and curious residents. An expert says it is the first documented barn owl nest in Manhattan in modern history, making the sighting notable in a city where these birds are rarely seen.

At least one adult and five fledglings were reported at the site, while some photographers said they had seen six young birds; two adults are believed to be present. New York is at the northern edge of the barn owl’s range, and the state says their population has declined sharply. Onlookers have also raised concern that the owls could eat rats poisoned with rodenticide.