Owls and owl pellets

Produced in conjunction with the Hawk and Owl Trust, this chart is both an identification guide to owls and a practical resource for investigating owl pellets.

 

 Included are colour paintings of the 5 species of owl permanently resident in the British Isles, shown both perched and in flight, illustrations and written descriptions of the different pellets produced by each species of owl and by other birds (kestrel, sparrowhawk, gull and corvids) that could be confused, and a systematic identification key to the contents of owl pellets, including complete skulls, jaws, teeth and other recognisable bones and animal parts.

 

 Text on the reverse side provides background information on the taxonomy of owls, their adaptations for hunting, food chains and conservation status. Further identification information for each species - body length, wingspan, call, habitat, UK breeding range, main prey and conservation status - is given in a table. Guidance is also included on where pellets can be found and how they can be prepared and dissected.