OWL PELLET EXCAVATION
An owl pellet excavation is easy to setup and super fun for inquisitive young minds.
What you will need:
An owl pellet - You can easily find these online for purchase.
Safety goggles
Disposable gloves
A mask to block dust and debris
Tweezers
Popsicle sticks
Toothpicks
Magnifying glass
Owl pellet chart printout - you can find many of these online
Tray or container in which to excavate the owl pellet
Baggie (optional) to keep what is found
Once you have all your supplies, the rest is easy. Simple set up your owl pellet excavation in an area that can get a little messy and be easily cleaned up. Put on your safety equipment and get ready to dig in.
Most owl pellets will come wrapped in foil. Remove the foil, place the owl pellet in the tray to contain the debris, and begin using the tweezers and popsicle sticks to start excavating the owl pellet. You should soon start finding bones, teeth, and even skulls.
If you enjoy excavating owl pellets, be sure to check out our awesome Excavating Adventurers Extreme kit Bites Bones Scratch and Sting to discover all kinds of crazy specimens not found in any of our other kits!
Use the owl pellet chart to start organizing your discoveries. It will be a bit difficult to identify the finds perfectly but the chart will help get an idea of what the owl ate. Use the toothpick to clean any small cracks and crevices and inspect the items with the magnifying glass.
Once you have finished excavating the owl pellet, any left over debris can be disposed of in the garbage and the teeth, bones, and other items can be stored in a baggie to inspect and enjoy later.
Owl pellets are readily available and make for a great excavation activity to get homeschoolers and classrooms excited about science and nature.
If you love excavating as much as we do, be sure to check out our Excavating Adventures monthly subscription by clicking the link below and get an awesome new excavation delivered each month loaded with rocks, minerals, gemstones, fossils, and more!
Happy Excavating!
EARN FREE GEMSTONES, FOSSILS, ROCKS, AND MORE HERE!
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