1. Owl Pellet Dissection Lab
To dissect an owl pellet, count the number of bones present, determine
which prey animal(s) were eaten, and rearticulate a skeleton based on
the bones that are found.
DO YOU KNOW: What is an owl’s prey item?
Dirty Jobs: Mike Rowe "Owl Vomit"

2. Background: How do owl’s eat?
Large items are torn apart by talons and beak
Small morsels, such as mice or vole, are swallowed whole
Hours later, indigestible bones, fur, feather, are coughed up in firm cylindrical one inch by two inch pellets
regurgitate pellets or castings of the indigestible bits before eating their next large meal
Like a cats “hairball”
These pellets are usually found under a perch or nest
By identifying the remains in the pellets the owls food habits can be studied.
Baby Owl Ejects Pellet

3. Procedure (2 days) Working in Groups of 2 or 3 (1 pellet per group)
Measure (with ruler) size of pellet
Describe the Texture of Pellet
Weigh with Triple Beam Balance
Begin to dissect pellet and separate into two groups
Bones
Scraps
Reconstruct bones found within owl pellet (some bones you can trade to complete skeleton) and glue to cardstock
Work on Lab Questions
SAFETY: SHARP OBJECTS (Tweezers/Probe) ANY MISUSE ZERO ON LAB

4. How can you determine what the owl eats?

5. Collecting Data Two Cups (to save over 2 days)
Bones vs Scraps (Fur/Feathers)
Completed Construction of Skeleton (on cardstock to be handed in- SEE SAMPLE)
Name of Lab Partners/ Period
20 Bones

6. Owl Facts An owl can hear a mouse 60 feet away.
All owl eggs are white.
An owl has three sets of eyelids.
Owls cannot move their eyeballs.
An owl can turn its face upside down.
An owl can swing its head around and look behind its back.
Owls live on every continent except Antarctica.
An owl can open and close its ears
An owl’s coat is made of thousands of feathers.
Owls use many different sounds to communicate.

7. Owl Pellet Lab: Word Splash Type 1 Writing
In six lines or more write the things that you know about owl pellets using the key words below:
Tweezers
Food Web
Pellet
Bones
Rodents
OWL
Feathers
Bone Chart
Fur