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New York City's latest famous family is a barn owl brood

The barn owl family nesting on Manhattan's Upper West Side captivates residents with their distinctive screeches, which occur because the species cannot hoot—making them surprisingly productive rodent controllers.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on Best of BBN
Published 3:22 AM ET, Sunday, October 11, 2026

Photo: Tisha Mukherjee · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from Best of BBN at 3:22 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The New York Times's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Barn owl — Photo: Tisha Mukherjee · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by The New York Times: “New York City’s Latest Famous Family Is a Hoot. Yes, They’re Barn Owls.”.
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 3:22 AM ET on Best of BBN, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: New York City.
BBN covered this story before: Barkin, Palestinian vote delay, Fort Hood execution, CFP and ESPN (October 10).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The New York TimesNew York City’s Latest Famous Family Is a Hoot. Yes, They’re Barn Owls.

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA family of barn owls is nesting on the Upper West Side, and the neighborhood loves the screeching. Barn owls screech because they cannot hoot.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThey're basically influencers, bro. Screaming at night for attention, and people show up.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentInfluencers. They eat rats. Way more productive than actual social media stars.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentRats?

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