Owl pellets are the mass of undigested parts of an owls food that the bird regurgitates). Owls swallow their prey whole or in large pieces, but they cannot digest fur, teeth, bones, or feathers. The owls gizzard packs the undigested parts into a ball called a “pellet” that they spit, or cast, back up. Owls generally cast about two pellets a day. The contents of an owl pellet depend on its diet, but can include the exoskeletons of insects, indigestible plant matter, and the hair, bones, and other body parts of rodents). Pellets are found in different locations, depending on the species. In general, these are roosting and nesting sites: for most hawks and owls, under coniferous trees; for barn owls, at the bases of cliffs or in barns and silos; for yet other species of owls, at their burrows or in marsh and field grasses). Owl pellets are not droppings (faeces/poo) and they do not smell. Dissecting owl pellets is a great way to learn about the owls diet and place in the food web. Pellets are a record of what owls have eaten, and scientists can study them to learn more about the owl and the ecosystems in which they live.