Upper West Side barn owls accounted for and no longer nesting at water tower, official says

The owls that called an Upper West Side water tower home have moved to other locations after construction work disturbed their nest.

All seven barn owls, which included two adults and five fledglings, were spotted Sunday night, according to Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal.

He said they don't seem to be using the water tower near 76th Street and Central Park West to roost. Hoylman-Sigal said feedings are taking place elsewhere, according to the NYC Bird Alliance. 

"The owls appear to be adjusting to their new circumstances and have found alternative roosting locations (sound like true Manhattanites, if you ask me)," Hoylman-Sigal wrote on social media. 

The birds originally nested in a hole in the tower before the roof was removed.

Conservationists were outraged at the construction and said it might violate state law. 

The Department of Environmental Conservation ordered the building's owner to stop demolition of the tower for an investigation Thursday. On Friday, city officials said workers were back at the water tower, and expressed outrage that the work had apparently continued. 

Hoylman-Sigal said he's hoping any further repairs to the tower will be delayed one more week to ensure the birds' safety, since a few were spotted perched there Sunday night. The DEC has said that it was working to provide alternative roosting locations. 

Barn owls are not endangered, but they are still protected by state law. Destruction of an active nest is illegal. They've nested in the water tower since at least August.

This type of owl is also extremely rare in the city, according to the New York City Parks Department. Experts believe this was the first time barn owls were known to have nested in Manhattan.