Owl pellets are tiny undigested portions, which the owl eats. The owl regurgitates these compact pellets, which contain fur, bones, etc. of small rodents. Owls mostly eat pine voles. Dry pellets do not smell or have an unpleasant odor for individuals to handle. The purpose of observing the dry pellets is to teach a part of the natural food chain and to teach skeleton parts by contrast. The hypothesis for this observation is that when dissecting the pellet, it would be very clear to distinguish which bones and furs identify the particular type of rodent. .
B.METHODS AND MATERIALS.
The material used for this lab project was as followed: dry owl pellets, paper towels, sharp dissecting tweezers, copy of rodent skeletal system, pencil and paper to record results.
C. RESULTS .
The results show that as pine voles were in high numbers, hispid cotton rat, eastern harvest mouse, and deer mouse had a low count; others were not a prey very often. .
The results drawn from this experiment were as follows:.
1. Insectivores = 0.
2. Eastern Mole = 4.
3. Least shrew = 4.
4. Short-tailed shrew = 1.
5. Cottontail rabbit = 0.
6. Eastern harvest mouse = 20.
7. Pine vole = 149.
8. House mouse = 4.
9. Rice rat = 2.
10. Norway rat = 3.
11. Hispid cotton rat = 34.
12. Deer mouse = 15.
D. Discussion .
The pellets that we studied in lab are the end products of an owl's digestive process. Pellets are also made by other raptors, but those made by owls tend to be the most complete, and therefore the best for lab applications. As we dissected the owl pellets, we found bones wrapped up in side the fur of which was eaten. Every pellet had a skull and some of the other bones. Study indicates that most owls eat pine voles, few hispid cotton rats and in low numbers deer mouse. Eastern mole, least shrew, short tail shrew, house mouse, rice rats and Norway rats are not the pray very often. .
E. Summary .
My study and research on this experiment indicated that, as the dissection of the owl pellet took place, many bone were found and identified, which indicated that most pellets integrated pine voles.
