Owl Pellet Kits: Framework For Learning Owl’s Ecology

  Owl pellets are comprised of the regurgitated bones and fur of the owl's prey. Students in an educational setting can pick apart the pellets to identify what species of animal the owl has eaten.
Owl pellets are an excellent teaching aid for any classroom that provides children with a tactile experience which illustrates a facet of the natural order. They can be ordered in a kit format with picks and tweezers to help students dissect the pellets, or they can be purchased on their own and teachers can assemble the necessary tools. The pellets create a vivid illustration of the web of life in an ecosystem. They reveal not only what the owl itself consumed, but also traces of what the prey animals had been eating are often present. The tactile and visceral nature of the owl pellet dissection experience appeals to many children. Identifying the species of animals contained within the pellet makes students into fledgling detectives. This process inspires curiosity while adding detail to their model of the universe.
Owl pellets are comprised of the regurgitated bones and fur of the owl's prey. Students in an educational setting can pick apart the pellets to identify what species of animal the owl has eaten. The bones can come from a variety of small creatures that make up the diet of owls. Bones from rodents of several species, moles, lizards, frogs, snakes, and rarely fish have been found within owl pellets. The owl's unique digestive mechanism leaves even the tiniest bones intact. Because owls frequently ingest their prey whole, owl pellets usually contain the skull of the creature that was eaten. The distinct characteristics of the skull make it easy to identify what species comprised the owl's meal. Students can be provided with owl pellet kits for documentation and identifying the species of animal, what part of the animal the bone came from, and what that animal’s role in the food web is.
To create the most educational owl pellet experience, there are some supplies that should be obtained. The owl pellets themselves can be ordered as individual pellets, in a kit format, or in packs with many pellets for a classroom setting. When owl pellet kits are ordered, it will likely contain tweezers, forceps, and a pick. These tools should be acquired separately if not provided as they greatly improve the ease of pulling apart the pellet without breaking the delicate bones. A tray or dish of some kind to work on is essential to keep the small pieces neat and orderly. Multiple tray compartments are useful for organization.
Information sheets with species information, bone identification, and an explanation of owl ecology provide the framework for the lesson. These can often be ordered with the owl pellet dissection kit or the teacher can compile and print the information themselves.
An unforgettable experience awaits students who get to dissect owl pellets. Many people in scientific careers remember the childhood moments that encouraged them to think differently about the world. The educational insight provided by this lesson has the potential to inspire children.