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Owl Pellets
By Polly | June 30, 2008
Welcome to Week 3 of our 8 Week Summer Boredom Buster Series.
This week’s summer boredom buster is dissecting owl pellets. Owl pellets are the regurgitated indigestible parts of an owl’s prey. Owls like many birds swallow much of their small prey whole leaving behind in their digestive systems the indigestible parts like the bones, fur, and teeth of their prey. The owl’s two part digestive system breaks down the soft parts of the owl’s prey, but is unable to process and break down the larger harder pieces such as the prey’s bones. The softer pieces are digested and passed through the owl’s system while the larger indigestible pieces are formed into a pellet and regurgitated through the owl’s beak. When pulled apart, the remnants of the owl’s prey can often be found in the pellet making it a fun science activity for kids. Kids can dissect the owl pellet and compare the remnants they find in the pellet to a bone chart. Combined with interesting owl books from your library or owl puzzles and activities, this is a great educational and fun activity that will keep kids busy and learning during the long summer days.
Good luck!
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Topics: Boredom Busters, Family Fun |