Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Where could I find owl pellets from at least 3 different species of owls?

Hi ElephantSaver96,

It sounds like you are doing this great project:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... #materials

It would take a while to find owl pellets in the wild, so the project materials section recommends purchasing owl pellets from Carolina Biological.

ww.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Geo_p015.shtml#materials

An owl pellet is a little ball of undigested bones and fur from owl prey, so there is nothing in particular to identify the species that produced it. It would be difficult to ensure that your samples were from three different species of owls. If you do order the owl pellets, then do check with the supplier before you place your order and ask if samples from different species are available.

Do you know if there are owls living close to you? If not, you could walk around and look for white splashes of owl droppings at the base of a tree, as described and shown in this website.

http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/owls.htm

If you find a tree with owl droppings at the base, look around and look for the owl pellets; you should be able to find them. Be sure to take photographs for your project board if you decide to search on your own. You would also have to return after dark to find own what species of owl produced the pellets. The link above includes photographs of all of the owls species in North America to help with identification.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Donna Hardy

I'm doing a project like "Is there a significant difference in the diet of great horned owls, barn owls, or great gray owls?" & I'm going to dissect owl pellets to figure it out. What could I name my project?

Thanks,

Elephant Lover

Hi Elephant Lover,

Did you get owl pellets from known species? If so that's great.

Your title should reflect your investigation, so I would vote for "What do owls eat?" Or maybe, "Can owl pellets help identify the species?" You should try to phrase it in your own words.

What is your project question and what is your hypothesis?

Donna