Owl Pellet Dissection Guide & Lab Instructions

Owl Pellet Dissection Lab

Unsure of how to start your Owl Pellet Dissection Lab, or just need a refresher? You're in the right place. 

Use e our FREE Owl Pellet Dissection Guide to walk you through the process step by step. For a printable version, click the button below.

Download FREE Owl Pellet Dissection Guide

Guide has been updated. (8/20/2025)

What Are Owl Pellets? A Brief Explanation.

Barn Owls swallow their food whole and rely on a specialized part of their stomach called the gizzard to help digest it. The gizzard separates what can and cannot be digested. 

The indigestible material, such as fur and bones, is then compacted into a pellet and later regurgitated. 

Want to learn more? Visit our 'What Are Owl Pellets?' page.

Owl Pellets and animal bones found during owl pellet dissection.

At Oregon Owl Pellets, we collect pellets from wild Barn Owls found in local barns and nesting areas. We also source bulk owl pellets from across the Pacific Northwest, including Idaho and Washington.

How To Plan An Owl Pellet Dissection Lesson

Supplies and Materials

Below are some commonly used supplies for an owl pellet dissection lab:

  • Owl Pellets* (any size)
    • The most important part of your dissection Lab.
  • Tray or Plate
    • Size may vary depending on pellet size.
  • Plastic Forceps/Tweezers & Wooden Dissection Sticks*
    • Used to carefully pull apart pellets and extract bones.
  • Spray bottle or similar (optional)
    • Expert Tip: Lightly misting pellets with water can soften them, making dissection easier and reducing the risk of breaking delicate bones.
  • Non-latex gloves or dish washing gloves*
    • Helpful for students who may feel squeamish.
  • Facemask* (Optional)
  • Owl Pellet Bone Chart* (Recommended)
    • Helps students identify bones during dissection.
  • Clean Desk or Table

*These items are included in most of our Owl Pellet Dissection Kits.

A variety of bones collected from our own Owl Pellets and arranged on a blue board.

Things to Keep in Mind

Rodent bones are the most commonly found remains in owl pellets, including voles, rats, mice, and shrews.

To avoid breaking fragile bones, students should work slowly. Adding a drop or two of water to each pellet can help soften it and make dissection easier.

Larger pellets typically take longer to dissect. For this reason: 

Reminder: Students should not place owl pellets in their mouths. While our pellets are sanitized and safe, it's still best practice to avoid contact. If this happens, have them rinse their mouth as a precaution.

Dissection and Bone Collection

As students begin dissecting, have them set aside any bones or remains they find. This may include skulls and other identifiable parts.

Encourage students to identify what they discover. Older students can be challenged to reconstruct skeletons by grouping bones from the same animal.

We include a free bone chart with every owl pellet purchase. Need extra copies? Download and print as many as you need below.

Download FREE Owl Pellet Bone Chart

Oregon Owl Pellets, Bone Matching Chart

Highest Quality And Safety

We carefully hand-select each owl pellet to ensure quality. Pellets are then heat-sanitized to eliminate harmful bacteria and individually wrapped for protection during shipping.

Our goal is simple: provide safe, high-quality owl pellets you can trust in your classroom.

If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend beginning with Medium Owl Pellets, purchasing in bulk, or choosing one of our Owl Pellet Dissection Kits. Each kit includes the essential tools needed to get started.