Two Barred Owls are Now Competing for Attention
Photo of Barry courtesy of Manhattan Bird Alert.
Birdwatchers have been flocking to Central Park to see the Barred Owl of The Loch, which sounds like something invented by Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe. The owl, which hunts and preens in the daytime unlike most owls, has drawn people from all over. He has been named Barry. He spends time in the northern part of park, often around The Loch at 103rd and Central Park West or near the Great Hill.
Now there’s apparently a second Barred Owl in the neighborhood. It showed up on Thursday in Riverside Park around 115th Street. As the owls have spread, the frenzy is spreading. Or maybe we’re all just looking for something to do so we’re not so cooped up. (Cooped up, bird pun.)
Check out the Riverside Park Barred Owl below. And read our beginner’s guide to birdwatching out of your window in the pandemic here.
The UWS Barred Owl cc: @BirdCentralPark pic.twitter.com/qF6xxWqBUJ
— Recipe for a Flick (@flickrecipes) November 19, 2020
A Cooper’s Hawk has been visiting my backyard in the West 80’s. I have video of it pinning down and munching on a pigeon, hiding left over carcass remains in foliage, perching on low tree branches for hours, even sitting on patio furniture. According to an elder neighbor who’s lived on the block his entire life, we’ve always had Cooper’s Hawks here. The one I videotaped recently us smaller than a hawk that visited last February, possibly a younger generation. I’ve seen them on the roof and in the trees for years. If you’re interested, I have photos and videos.
I really want to see the barred owl! Let’s meet up Wise Bird!!
Has anyone determined if these are two different barred owls or one and the same?
Their beaks seem to be different.
I’m concerned to read this because I’ve read about owls attacking individuals scalps and eyes. If you’ve seen The Staircase on Netflix, it’s also a mentioned theory for a woman’s death.
Can anything be done to move these owls from NYC or at least more residential areas?
I would not think of moving these owls to a another area as they made w wise decision to stock around our two parks..Owls represent wisdom…we should leave them as they hold court in daylight..
At dusk on Friday last week we watched the Barred owl in Riverside Park at 115th chasing a squirrel (yum!) for quite awhile – flying from tree to tree. It wasn’t there on Saturday or Sunday. We’ve seen the rumors about three owls, but think it’s likely our Riverside owl has gone to join Barry. Sigh.