Dissecting owl pellets is a great way to learn about biology, anatomy, and the food chain in an interactive way. 

By carefully examining the remains of what owls have eaten, one can gain insight into their behavior and environment in a hands-on manner. Not only does this provide valuable knowledge of the natural world, but it also serves as an enjoyable activity that can be shared among family members or friends! Sterilized barn owl pellets from Owl Brand Supply Company and Discovery Kits come in three sizes and from two regions of the United States, including SW US and NW US. Below is a description of the size ranges for both regions, which are also described in detail for each product. The general rule of thumb is that the larger the pellet, the more prey there is.

• Economy or Small -- 1.0" to 1.49". These pellets are terrific for young learners with tight budgets. They most often include a skull and a smaller selection of bones, and many teachers report filling out an entire bone chart.
• Standard or Medium—1.5" to 2.49". These pellets are the most commonly purchased and include 1-3 prey, almost always more than enough to fill out a bone chart or two. They can also include more than one prey type, as many teachers report finding a vole and a bird in one pellet.
• Premium or Jumbo -- 2.5" and larger. Premium pellets are a terrific choice for a variety of reasons. The most common cause is that the pellet is huge. We are surprised the owl survived gagging up this pellet sometimes! Because they are large, they will often include three or more prey. Moreover, because of that, a teacher can pair two students with one pellet to save money.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no way to be certain that your owl pellet will contain any amount of bones. With that said, OBDK has served over 100,000 customers since 1996 with very few disappointments. As with any product, there are 'duds.' We think that is a teachable moment -- for example, "Why do you think there are no bones in this pellet compared to the one that had dozens?" 

STERILIZATION: The most common question we get is, "Are your pellets sterilized?" It's an important question and, in today's climate, one can't even take home-baked cookies to a public school, let alone a nature-produced and gagged owl pellet. For that reason, OBDK employs the highest standards of drying, wrapping, heat-sterilizing, and cooling our barn owl pellets before they are bagged for our customers.