Owl Pellet Activity

Owl Pellets for kindergartners? I don't know how this will go but I'm excited. My son is insatiable with his questions and I may just be opening a can of worms for my self but it's worth ago since curiosity is kind of our thing.

I'll start our study with our owl fact card from my nature study card kit. (Available for purchase on my Nature Study Card Purchase Page to at the top of the column to the right) After we look at that we will go on a hike looking for owl homes and signs. There is one tree on Centennial Loop towards the sports center side in Soldotna, AK that I swear I saw an owl in last time we were there so I'm excited to go back with a pair of binoculars.

We have an Usborne beginners book about owls (my boys are obsessed with the beginners series) for the rest of the introduction  before we dive right in to learning about what they eat by dissecting an owl pellet! Using these directions (Also found on the nature study activity card 6 for birds)

1. First there is this really cool video on youtube that explains what an owl pellet is: 

2. Gather your materials: Gloves, Owl pellet (ordered off amazon of all places!), tweezers, magnifying glass, small paint brush, and this free bone identification chart from Carolina Biological Supply Company.

3. Carefully pull apart pellet, being aware of any skulls you may find. Once it is broken up into smaller pieces you can start to exhume the bones with the tweezers. As you find them clear them of fur and debri with your fingers/small paint brush before setting them aside.

4. Once you get the bones separated and cleaned match them to your bone identification chart to discover what type of animal your owl ate.

This is also a great way to to lead into food chains, predator/prey relationships, how different adaptations of the owl help them hunt, or what their prey's defenses are against being caught.