Barn Owls
On Friday (2023-07-07) my granddaughter and I saw two barn owls in a large pine tree. There were three nests - one was about 2-3 times the size of the others. A juvenile was next to the largest nest staring down at us. We briefly saw an adult flap its wings and then settle down into one of the smaller nests. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera that day, so we went back on Wednesday (2023-07-12). We didn't see the owls, but evidence of their presence was there: bird droppings on the sidewalk, many feathers and we counted 9 owl pellets.
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Barn Owl Pellet #A-01
Location: (Site-A) Found under the pine tree where this owl roosts:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173672073
Pellet length: not measured
Pellet age: Unknown
Dissected? Yes
This pellet contained the remains of two species:
- (Botta’s Pocket Gopher) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172690847
- (North American Deer Mice) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172945757
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Barn Owl Pellet #A-02
Location: (Site-A) Found under the pine tree where this owl roosts:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173672073
Pellet length: not measured
Pellet age: Unknown
Dissected? Yes
This pellet contained the remains of two species:
- (California Vole) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172692463
- (Western Harvest Mouse) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173788479
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Barn Owl Pellet #A-03
Location: (Site-A) Found under the pine tree where this owl roosts:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173672073
Pellet length: not measured
Pellet age: Unknown
Dissected? Yes
This pellet contained the remains of two species:
- (Botta’s Pocket Gopher) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172691120
- (California Vole) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172833851
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Barn Owl Pellet #A-04
Location: (Site-A) Found under the pine tree where this owl roosts:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173672073
Pellet length: not measured
Pellet age: Unknown
Dissected? Yes
This pellet contained the remains of two species:
- (North American Deer Mice x2) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172693506
- (Western Harvest Mouse x2) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172999960
Photos / Sounds
What
Botta's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones found in barn owl pellet #A-01.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172677883
Photos / Sounds
What
Botta's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones found in barn owl pellet #A-03.
Here's the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172690619
References:
• Entire skeleton: https://www.reptileevolution.com/heterocephalus.htm
• Skull & maxilla, teeth & habits: https://www.utep.edu/leb/PleistNM/taxaMamm/Geomyidae.htm
• Long bones & scapula: https://freyjasforest.com/products/pocket-gopher-bone-lot
• iNaturalist Taxa Info: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/44062-Thomomys-bottae
Photos / Sounds
What
California Vole (Microtus californicus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-02.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172677889
Photos / Sounds
What
North American Deer Mice (Genus Peromyscus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-04.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172690620
Photos / Sounds
What
California Vole (Microtus californicus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones found in barn owl pellet #A-03.
Here's the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172690619
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-05.
This pellet was cut open before I got a photo of the pellet itself. Also, the images are blurry - we were getting tired, so we saved the rest of the pellets for another day.
Here's the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182471277
Photos / Sounds
What
North American Deer Mice (Genus Peromyscus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones found in barn owl pellet #A-01.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172677883
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-04.
Note the grooved upper incisors.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172690620
Note: in photo #6, only the smaller 2 skulls and mandibles are from harvest mice, the larger skull is from a Peromyscus.
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Barn Owl Pellet #A-06
Location: (Site-A) Found under the pine tree where this owl roosts:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173672073
Pellet length: not measured
Pellet age: Unknown
Dissected? Yes
This pellet contained the remains of:
(California Vole) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173012330
Photos / Sounds
What
California Vole (Microtus californicus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-06.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173011365
Photos / Sounds
What
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Barn Owl Pellet #A-07
Location: (Site-A) Found under the pine tree where this owl roosts:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173672073
Pellet length: not measured
Pellet age: Unknown
Dissected? Yes
This pellet contained the remains of:
(California Vole) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173016933
Photos / Sounds
What
California Vole (Microtus californicus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-07.
Here is the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173016050
Photos / Sounds
What
North American Deer Mice (Genus Peromyscus)Observer
truthseqrDescription
Bones from barn owl pellet #A-05.
This pellet was cut open before I got a photo of the pellet itself. Also, the images are blurry - we were getting tired, so we saved the last 3 pellets for another day.
Here's the observation for the pellet itself:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182471277
Comments
@biohexx1, @merav, @brennafarrell
Totally cool!
Cool! I've been doing something similar with a great horned owl at a nearby park: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tamanend-great-horned-owl-diet/journal.
Wow, @brennafarrell !!! Your project is so awesome and interesting. I love how you compiled the data so it's easy to see what the owls eat over time. You've inspired me to continue monitoring these barn owls.
Thanks so much! Since I had so many observations at the park, I decided to make a project to easily find the observations. I can also export the data as a .csv, allowing me to easily make graphs and charts in Excel.
Good luck! Hopefully they'll give you lots of pellets to dissect.
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