Name(s)__________________________________ Class period_____ Date________

 

 

Animal Identification from Owl Pellet

DATA SHEET

 

 

Individual data

 

1.      Number of skulls (or pairs of jaw bones) found in your owl pellet: ______________

 

2.      Species and number of prey mammals found in your pellet:

 

 

Species                                                   Number of Individuals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Data

 

Total number of pellets examined

 

Average number of prey animals per pellet

 

 

 

 

Prey Animals                                    Number               Prey Animals                           Number

Bird

 

Sorex bendiri

(Bendire Shrew)

 

Rattus sp

(rat)

 

Neurotrichus gibbsi

(Shrew mole)

 

Microtus townsendi

(townsend vole)

 

Scapanus townsedi

(Townsend mole)

 

Microtus oregoni

(Creeping vole)

 

Scapanus orarius

(Coast mole)

 

Peromyscus maniculatus

(Deer mouse)

 

 

 

Mus mueoulus

(House mouse)

 

 

 

Sorex vagrane

(Wandering Shrew)

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

4.  If a barn owl produces one pellet each day, estimate how much food the owl

would eat in a year.

                              ____________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Reexamine the bones that have been separated from fur, feathers, and other debris and

grouped according to type. 

 

6.  Lay bones out corresponding to their position

in the natural skeleton (as shown in this diagram). 

 

7. Make a drawing of your skeleton(s).

 

8. Label each bone type. Below drawing, label common and species name. 

 

 

Bones of animals other than voles

will usually show differences in size and

shape.  For instance, the same bone, like

the shoulder blade, will appear similar in

mice, shrews and weasels.  Bones of a

skeleton may be laid out flat on a piece of

cardboard (in this position the bones can be

glued to the cardboard and hung as a picture)

 

 

                                                                                               

Extra Credit: 1. Bones of a skeleton may be laid out flat on a piece of cardboard. In this position the bones can be glued to the cardboard and hung as a picture. (include common name and scientific name)

 

 

2. Bones of an animal may be glued together to form a freestanding skeleton.

                            (include common name and scientific name)