1. Happy New Year 1-4  Today: Start “mini-unit” on owls Mid term after owl test

2. Mini-before-Christmas Unit

3. General Info  Owl’s fill the niche at night which would be occupied by hawks in daytime Niche – role organism plays in the environment  Don’t build nests – use old crow or hawk nests  Diet – mice, rats, birds, insects, etc  Spend day in covered areas

4. General Info  Over 200 species of owls 8 can be found in PA

5. Hatching  Eggs are not laid at the same time and thus do not hatch at same time  Why could this be a useful adaptation? If enough food, all chicks survive If not enough food, ensures oldest will be strong and survive (youngest chicks die)  Owl Chicks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGShADzKjTI&feature=related

7. Eyesight  Very large eyes  Sight 50-100 x better at locating small objects in low light than humans  So, in their eyes they must have more… Rods – cells that gather light in the eye Cones – cells that gather color  Eye’s fixed in skull – can’t move them  Twist head to look around…some up to 270 degrees

8. Warm Up 1-5  What is a niche?  Today: Talons, Leading edge of wings, etc

9. Males vs. Females  Female birds of prey tend to be larger than the males  (same is true for many reptiles)

10. Talons  Have large sharp talons – used to kill prey  Two talons will face backwards and 2 forwards to grab prey

11. Wings  Leading edge of the wing are serrated to help muffle the sound of flight.  (Start about 3:30)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJNRFxL3moM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJNRFxL3moM

12. Hearing  Face is shaped like a disc to funnel sound  Many species of owls have asymmetrical ears Allows them to locate prey more efficiently, even if they can’t see it  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yps7p gq1TAk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yps7p gq1TAk

13. Warm Up 1-6  How do asymmetrical ears help an owl locate prey?  Today: Owl puke Finish movie

14. Hunting  Mostly sit and wait predator  Wait on tree until prey is located

15. Warm Up 1-7  Why do we study owl pellets?  Today: Owl Pellet Lab Quiz on Owl information tomorrow – Review sheet due

16. Owl Puke  Owl’s regurgitate prey remains – called a pellet (or a bolus) Swallow prey whole – they cannot digest hair, fur, nails, etc  These can be studied to determine the owls diet  Owl Puking (1:05)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waLiTmLr1nM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waLiTmLr1nM&feature=related  http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=owl%20pellet&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en- US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv# http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=owl%20pellet&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en- US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv#  Owl Pellet  http://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/96545/owl-pellet.html http://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/96545/owl-pellet.html

17. Quiz! 1-11  Quiz  Review sheets due

18. Owl Pellet Lab  Work in teams of 2-3  Need 2 pieces of paper One to break apart the pellet One to place the bones  Your goal is to determine the identity of the organisms in the owl pellet using the bone key in the packet  The data table and lab questions should also be completed

19. Owl Prey  Voles Resemble mouse – shorter hairy tail Stouter body  Moles (not owl prey) Spend most of life underground Very underdeveloped eyes

20.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGShADzKjTI&feature=related – hissing chick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGShADzKjTI&feature=related–  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJNRFxL3moM - owl general info – wing serrations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJNRFxL3moM  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yps7pgq1TAk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yps7pgq1TAk  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yps7pgq1TAk&feature=fvw – prey under snow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yps7pgq1TAk&feature=fvw  http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=owl%20pellet&ie=utf- 8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox- a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv# - owl pellet – breaking it apart http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=owl%20pellet&ie=utf- 8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox- a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv#  http://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/96545/owl-pellet.html - owl puking http://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/96545/owl-pellet.html  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVSXQKmL6ZM&feature=related – owl eating mouse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVSXQKmL6ZM&feature=related