Snowy Owl
(Bubo scandiaca)
Photos taken at Ft. Stevens State Park, Clatsop County, Oregon, USA, 27 November 2005
Just before 3 p.m., with hunting time fast approaching, this Snowy Owl worked hard to spit up three relatively large pellets, plus some additional fur/hair. After completing this, the owl called out to two other Snowy Owls nearby, and flew toward them. Once the owl was quite a distance away, I inspected the pellets and found that one contained the lower jaw of some type of rodent, perhaps a very large mouse or a rat. This owl was one of three present. For a detailed look at a Snowy Owl pellet from one of the owls at Ft. Stevens State Park, check out Mike Patterson's photos and analysis on the web at: http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/SNOW/SNOW_pellets.html
1. Starting to cough up pellets
2. First pellet on ground, second one in mouth
3. Rapid fire - pellets #2 and #3 out
4. Taking a breather... could there be more?
5. The intensity of trying to get something out increases
6. Spitting out very small pieces of fur/hair/pellet material, but no more pellets
7. All done
After the owl flew off, I was able to check out Pellet # 1...
... and Pellets #2 and #3.