CHICAGO (AP) — A pair of snowy owls spotted along a Lake Michigan beach has drawn curious crowds and sparked happy speculation about how long the Arctic birds of prey will call Chicago home.

Word of the two owls has circulated on birder forums in the nation’s third-largest city for about a week, according to the Chicago Ornithological Society. While snowy owls aren’t rare in Chicago, their frequency varies widely each winter. Generally, a handful are reported around December, but sometimes there aren’t any.

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