Genesis Inc

General information

Most birds, including owls and other raptors, are incapable of chewing and are known instead to swallow their prey whole or piece by piece. The digestive system of an owl can dissolve skin, fat, muscle and organs but what about the bones, fur and other indigestible materials? It is regurgitated in the form of a pellet. Owl pellets often contain the remains of several small animals and can vary in size but typically measure up to the size of a human thumb.

For instance, did you know that the diet of a barn owl can range from mice, voles, and shrews, to lizards and the occasional bat or a small bird? Barn owls also do not eat earthworms, unlike other species of owls. There are tons of interesting facts that students and teachers alike can learn from studying the contents of owl pellets. They offer a practical, hands-on learning experience for learning about the relationship between owls and their prey. The study of owl pellet contents can even lead to the discovery of previously unknown animal species.

Both scientists and conservationists alike study owl pellets in order to understand the owl’s place in the food chain and gauge how they can aid in the conservation and management of different species. The study of owl pellets can introduce students to the idea of nature conservation and help them to understand their responsibility in protecting nature and all of its inhabitants.

Most importantly, owl pellets allow students to get up close and personal with nature in a way that no lecture or textbook could ever do. Studying owl pellets will give you the opportunity to bring nature into the classroom-without all the dirt and mud.