Introduction: The purpose of this lab was to determine what the prey species for a single species of owl is like in different regions of the United States. This was accomplished through the dissection of the owls pellet. An owl pellet is a collection of the bones, fur, teeth, feathers and insect shells of small rodents, bugs and birds that cannot be digested by the stomach. This matter is later compacted and spit up by the owl. This process occurs at the owl’s roost, because it must clear the pellet before continuing to eat more food. Within each regurgitated pellet, the skulls and bones of the prey remain intact, making it useful to study and identify the range of prey in each region of the world. In this experiment, the skulls present within each owl pellet, of the same species, were compared based on the region each owl was located in. As stated in the hypothesis, each region observed, northeast, northwest, southwest and southeast, will contain a different prey species. As a result of these pellets, the diet and habitat of each owl can be determined.
Materials and Methods:
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The obtained owl pellet was restricted in a covered, unaltered, piece of tin foil. The tin foil was removed and the dissecting tools were gathered; toothpick, ruler and tweezers. The length of the pellet was measured and the data was recorded onto a table. Each dissecting tool was then used to remove the outer layer of waste and matter (fur, feathers, etc) from the owl pellet. Bones were then revealed and retrieved from the pellet. Any skulls found within the pellet were then classified and identified using the identification guide and these results were then recorded in the data