The roof of a water tower on Manhattan's Upper West Side, where a family of barn owls had been nesting, has been removed, according to the Associated Press. The move exposed the nest and angered New Yorkers who had followed the birds.

The owls were found weeks ago and drew crowds of people hoping to see them, the AP reports. It is believed to be the first documented barn owl nest in Manhattan in modern history.

Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance, said she saw one young owl Thursday on the roof of a nearby building. "It had been disturbed from the nest," she said. "We didn't see any more fledglings." Barn owls hunt at night, and the young ones rely on their parents to bring food to the nest.

Police with the state Department of Environmental Conservation found the water tower's roof had been removed, "exposing the barn owl nest," the department said. Officers ordered the building owner to "halt demolition of the water tower until further notice" while the department looks into possible violations.

The building's superintendent declined to comment, the AP reports. It is not clear who owns the building or who ordered the roof removed.

State Senator Erik Bottcher said he was "outraged" and noted that active migratory bird nests are protected by state and federal law. "There must be accountability," he said. David Barrett, who runs the Manhattan Bird Alert account, said, "It should never have happened."

What we know: The water tower roof was removed, exposing the nest, and state officers halted the demolition.
What we don't: Who ordered the work. Only the Associated Press has reported this so far, and NewsHabit hasn't seen independent confirmation.