Short-eared Owls are truly a joy to watch as they forage over grasslands and open marshes looking for tasty voles and mice. They can turn on a dime and dive for their prey or climb straight up into the sky to chase or avoid another owl or a Northern Harrier. Although they are in northern Illinois year-round, many migrate from Canada in late fall and are mostly active during dawn and dusk which, along with their agility, creates fun challenges for photographers. Shorties are listed as endangered in Illinois.