The short-eared owl, featured in today"s image, is a grassland-dwelling member of the owl family. Found on all continents except Antarctica and Australia, it"s one of the most widely distributed bird species. In India, it can be spotted in the open grasslands and vast stretches of the Little Rann of Kutch, as well as the surrounding desert landscape. This raptor belongs to the genus Asio, whose members are characterised by feather tufts ("ears") on their heads. The short-eared owl only reveals its tufts when feeling defensive.