Manhattan’s newest celebrities are causing a stir — and they’re not who you’d expect
The family was spotted atop a water tower on the Upper West Side in early October.
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THE TAKEAWAY
- A family of American barn owls were discovered in Manhattan.
- They were found by a couple who noticed the birds after hearing a series of distinct screeches.
- It is very rare to find American barn owls breeding in New York City.
NEW YORK CITY - Manhattan has some new celebrities in its midst: a rare family of American barn owls has been discovered in the heart of New York City.
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The family was spotted atop a water tower on the Upper West Side in early October.
American barn owls are found widespread throughout North and South America. (Ian Forsyth / Getty Images)
"We know that in the recorded history, 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."
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Elizabeth and Sam Williams told FOX News affiliate FOX 5 that they first noticed the birds after hearing a series of distinct screeches.
"We didn’t even see him until we saw the illumination of the bird by a window," Sam Williams said.
The nocturnal birds have drawn crowds of onlookers to the Upper West Side neighborhood after dark. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu / Getty Images)
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 barn owl.
"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…And when I saw it, I felt like I captured something really beautiful," Elizabeth Williams told FOX 5.
The couple said the owl family has been a welcome addition to the Upper West Side neighborhood.
The family was spotted atop a water tower on the Upper West Side. (Ian Forsyth / Getty Images)
"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."
According to Cornell University, American barn owls are widespread throughout North and South America, but they do not typically establish themselves in New York City, in part because they are sensitive to cold temperatures.
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The birds are often found around barns and other rural, man-made structures, which they use for roosting and nesting.
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. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu / Getty Images)
American barn owls are nocturnal hunters that feed primarily on small mammals, including voles, shrews, mice and rats.
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Although breeding barn owls in Manhattan is unusual, the birds have been spotted elsewhere in the metropolitan area, including parts of Brooklyn and Queens.
The rare discovery has drawn birders from across the region, many hoping to catch a glimpse of the owl family.
A rare family of American barn owls has been discovered in New York City. (Ian Forsyth / Getty Images)
The discovery offers a reminder that even in one of the world's busiest cities, unexpected wildlife encounters can still happen right in our own backyards.
"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.