Owl Pellet Dissection

Our pellet dissection kits include owl pellets that are from the barn owl, Tyto alba. You can select from the various sizes of pellets (barn owls generally produce pellets one to two inches in size). Generally, one pellet can contain the remains of three or more mammals. Subject to stock on hand, you can also choose from various contents of your pellets: rat, weasel, bird, squirrel, or rabbit remains. Choose the best pellets for your classroom science project. All our pellets are carefully heat treated and individually wrapped. We give price breaks for larger orders, and we offer several methods of shipping. Contact us at info@pellet.com or order from our website at pellet.com.

Owl pellets are slimy pellets formed by the owl's digestion system and then regurgitated. They're composed of hair, bones, teeth, feathers, scales, and insect parts. Since their stomach acid is relatively weak, these hard parts of the prey are relatively intact. So dissection of the pellet easily reveals what they've been eating.

Dissection is performed using forceps and needles. Separate the fur from the bones and other contents of the owl pellet. Clean the bones and use the student worksheets to identify them.

When performing dissection, your students will learn not only which mammal's remains are included in the contents of the pellets. They will also learn about anatomy as they try to determine where each bone fit on that mammal. They can understand the physiology of the barn owl, and its habits, and analyze the characteristics of the owl's ecosystem.