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A owl is seen swimming in Lake Michigan Sunday morning, Nov. 30, in Chicago.

(courtesy photo/YouTube.com)

Update: Swimming owl rested on Lake Michigan beach until he could fly, photographer says

CHICAGO -- A Chicago photographer has captured video footage of a great horned owl swimming the butterfly in Lake Michigan.

The photographer, Steve Spitzer, captured the footage Sunday morning at Loyola Park Beach in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. He learned the owl had been forced down into the lake by two peregrine falcons, the Wisconsin news station reported.

In the video, which has garnered about 29,000 views on YouTube, the owl repeatedly pushes its wings through the water in a swimming motion. Spitzer uploaded the video Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Spitzer took to Facebook Wednesday, sharing his surprise at how far the short video had spread online.

"If I had known he would be so popular I would have shot a longer video," Spitzer wrote.

More photos, video of the Lake Michigan owl