Owls and Owl Pellets Yaaaay!

OK. So today instead of Freaky Friday (sorry haven't been doing it) I'm going to tell you about owls and..owl pellets. Owl's are members of the Raptor family (Hawks, eagles, etc.) and are found everywhere except Antarctica. There are more then 200 species worldwide and have been a part of culture for generations. Owls are nocturnal, only coming out in the day if they absolutely have to. The largest owl's can reach up to 3 ft long and weigh 20 pounds. The largest owl known to man is the Great Grey Owl, which can reach lengths of 3 1/2 ft long. The tiniest owl is the Elf Owl, only reaching 5 INCHES! Sounds like my sister. Owls feed on many different animals. They are usually the top predator in their ecosystem. They feed on rats, mice, small birds, other owls (CANNIBAAAALS!),cats and pet dogs if they get the chance, and they've even been known to eat snakes. What they can't digest however is coughed up into owl pellets. Mmmmmm owl hair balls. Last Monday we dissected owl pellets and found a ton of stuff. First you put the owl pellet in a bowl of hot water (Soups up!) to get all the hair off, then you take it out of the bowl and begin picking at it with your forks. As you pick it apart (It has a strange earthy smell.) you begin to notice bones. Each pellet had leg bones, spinal cord, and a skull. Though me and my friend Jacobs pellets got 2 skulls in them. Yaaay us? The scariest natural thing you can possibly see outside your house at night is a big owl looking at you with those big yellow eyes. Owls are highly known for their eye shine. They have huge eyes that allow them to see perfectly in the dark of night. So,if you live out in the country, go outside one night and shine a flashlight into the trees and see what you find. You might just find a owl looking at you. Remember, THEY'RE WATCHING YOUUUU! The main things that makes an owl so dangerous is its talons and its beak. Talons are basically huge claws at the end of the owls feet. They help hold down or scoop up the prey while the owl begins gnawing at it with its beak. So, if your a mouse living out in an open field and an owl sees you, guess what! Your dinner! :) That's my report on owls and owl pellets. I got the info from www.wikipedia.com and from my own memory. The End.