CHICAGO -- They usually migrate to the forests this time of year, but to the delight of bird watchers across the city, a group of long-eared owls has taken up residence on Chicago's South Side.

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Look beyond the urban sprawl, parking tow zones, skyscrapers and buildings under construction.

Pay no attention to the dog walkers along the concrete landscape.

Hunkered down in the frigid city breeze is something rare: a family of roosting long-eared owls has chosen their winter home in the South Loop of Chicago!

"I think the great thing about it is we do have habitats for animals and birds right in the middle of the city," said bird watcher Lloyd Brown. "It's amazing -- you hear about it, and then there it is (as) you're riding past."

The owls are attracting bird watchers from across Chicagoland with their binoculars out and cameras clicking away. For nature enthusiasts, this is a site that just can't be matched.

"I'm going to get my binoculars out and look closely, because right now, I see sort of a brown blob and I want to see some features," said bird watcher Charlotte Neumer, from Oak Park.

Asleep by day, the owls hunt at night. They eat small rodents, squirrels and rabbits. They might even be feeding on city rats -- something the mayor would likely be happy about.

The Chicago Park District has fenced off part of the park to protect the owls. Although it's not uncommon for these owls to stay in the area during the winter, it's extremely rare for them to choose downtown as their home.

So, it could be it's the mom and dad from last year and the kids and then come April the small owls need to move and find their own, their own habitat.

The Chicago Park District said the last time long-eared owls attracted so much attention was in the 1950s, when nearly 200 of them made trees in the Morton arboretum their home.