How can owl pellets help me survey mammals in an area?
If you are able to obtain some owl pellets from your local area, they can help provide a fascinating insight into the small mammals which are present. The best places to search for owl pellets when surveying mammals will be in regular roosting sites (especially old barns and outbuildings), but it is extremely important that the owls are not disturbed. The best time to search will therefore be outside the main breeding season (we suggest to look between September and January) and you must obtain the landowner’s permission before visiting a likely site. Alternatively, you may be able to persuade the landowner to collect some pellets for you. When you have some owl pellets for dissection you will need the following equipment: • White tray • Tweezers or cocktail sticks • Hand lens • Thin disposable polythene or plastic gloves • Small mammal skull and bone identification chart • Blotting paper or kitchen towels • Antiseptic hand wash Fill the tray with approximately 2cm of warm water and so
