Barn Owl? pellet contents help help please?

[KentYeti]

With an aching back I sit to post the photo from my examination of what I think is a Barn Owl Pellet!

Not sure how many mammals here. I think 2 or 4 voles: do they have 2 lower and two upper jaw bones?

And the much larger animal, with it's skull and upper jaw bones still attached in the top left hand corner of the image. I am guessing the first pair of jaw bones to it's right are the lower ones that belong to this particular animal?

All help and further comment very much welcomed. I.e confirmation that this is a Barn Owl Pellet and what the larger mammal could have been.

I've not included all of the very small bones.

And I wish I had done biology at school all those years ago!

Cheers,

Bryan

[Dogghound]

Yes Barn Owl

Originally Posted by KentYeti

Not sure how many mammals here. I think 2 or 4 voles: do they have 2 lower and two upper jaw bones?

They have two lower jaw bones, the upper jaws are attatched to a skull and tend to stay attatched in the pellet.

Originally Posted by KentYeti

And the much larger animal, with it's skull and upper jaw bones still attached in the top left hand corner of the image. I am guessing the first pair of jaw bones to it's right are the lower ones that belong to this particular animal?

The skull is from a small vole species (note the rounded blunt shape just like a voles face, square cheek bones etc) i.e field or bank, we would need to have another blutac shot looking at the teeth on it to decide which. Barn owls like short eared have a diet dominated by field voles.

[The Woodman]

Yes, it looks like a Barn Owl pellet to me.

I note Doggers has answered first but just to add, all the recovered jaws and skulls may not add up. Some bones may appear in the next pellet and some of what you see may be from a skeleton that appeared in the previous pellet.

The lower of the two jaws of the second pair in from top right looks a little different. I can't quite work it out but sooner or later you will come across the elongated skull of a shrew - an insectivore with pointed teeth.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

Yes, it looks like a Barn Owl pellet to me.

I note Doggers has answered first but just to add, all the recovered jaws and skulls may not add up. Some bones may appear in the next pellet and some of what you see may be from a skeleton that appeared in the previous pellet.

The lower of the two jaws of the second pair in from top right looks a little different. I can't quite work it out but sooner or later you will come across the elongated skull of a shrew - an insectivore with pointed teeth.

Very good point John, and a good reason to check every individual bone or skull/jaw (if you dont have the time) in each pellet.

Bryans enthusiasm has rubbed off and I went and collected a couple of barn owl pellets today from a marsh. I think we should get an owl pellect appreciation society going.

[The Woodman]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Bryans enthusiasm has rubbed off and I went and collected a couple of barn owl pellets today from a marsh. I think we should get an owl pellect appreciation society going.

I'm up for that but why restrict it to owl pellets??

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

I'm up for that but why restrict it to owl pellets??

I have got a Marsh Harrier pellet at home but I dare not break it open, its kind of the equivalent of a really expensive matured wine, that you cant justify drinking even though you really want to.

It would actually be quite educational as well as a way for WABBERs to get interactive.

[KentYeti]

Thanks guys. I'm up for an Owl appreciation Society. Watching, studying and photgraphing them is becoming a very important and very fulfilling part of my life.

I guess from the above comments I can't be certain how many voles remains were in this particular pellet. "Several" is probably the best answer!

Pulling that pellet apart was quite exciting, "what am I going to find next..." sort of thing.

I'l have a go at the blue tac photography tomorrow.

Many thanks again,

Bryan

[Graeperry]

Hi All,

I'm new, I just wanted to put this out, hope someone or a few people can help us out.

I am currently looking for any Owl pellet data from all over the UK, from as far back as possible and I would like to request current pellets too, (Monthly, and I will pay for the postage) from again anywhere in the UK (OS or GPS data from collection site would be great). If there are sites that have previous data and still have pellets being collected the data or pellets would be appreciated.

If you can help or know anyone who can then please get in touch.

Cheers guys,

Graeme


Email: graeme.rycyk@gmail.com