When the birds are taken out, bands are put on their legs. The prairie chickens are put in boxes and shipped. Now, they are developing a wetlands at the Jasper County sanctuary . They are trying to duplicate and reestablish the prairie at the sanctuary. There are other birds also protected at the Jasper County sanctuary, including the northern harrier.
Jasper County is the state's largest winter and breeding ground for the northern harriers.
There have been 45 northern harriers nesting at the sanctuary since 1990. Northern harriers also nest on the ground, and feed on mice and prairie voles. The short-eared owl is also at the sanctuary. It's endangered in Illinois. It is active at dusk and feeds at night.