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Snowy Owl Pellets? (1 Viewer)

Arbu

Arbu

Well-known member
Northern Sweden last week. I can't really think what else they might be. They are about 7-8cm long.
 

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Looks like what they are to me too although three together wouldn't be usual would it, unless you were under a roost or nest?
 
andyadcock said:
Looks like what they are to me too although three together wouldn't be usual would it, unless you were under a roost or nest?
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I don't know, maybe this was a favoured spot, or maybe they throw up more than one pellet at a time. There were in fact five pellets, the other two had fallen off the rock. I wasn't under anything - this was bare tundra, 1000m above sea level.
 
Arbu said:
I don't know, maybe this was a favoured spot, or maybe they throw up more than one pellet at a time. There were in fact five pellets, the other two had fallen off the rock. I wasn't under anything - this was bare tundra, 1000m above sea level.
Click to expand...

I wonder if they could be from a Pine Marten, maybe a scat rather than a pellet?

Martens and Foxes will often do their business on a prominent rock like that.
 
Wolf poop is notoriously hairy, but I don't ever recall seeing so many bones in the ones I've nearly trod in.
Then again, if that was one sitting, we are talking about 16cm long. Most people on here would be proud of that!! (edit 35cm if 5x 7cm!)
 
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What about Eagle Owl?

Also, I am quite a dude, but my guide to bird tracks says that Ural Owl has pellets up to 6,5 cm long and Short-eared Owl up to 6 cm. Animal Tracks and Signs says Long-eared Owl up to 7,5cm and Short-eared rather longer. I would hesitate to rule smaller owls out, because pellets and droppings can be of variable size.
 
jurek said:
What about Eagle Owl?

Also, I am quite a dude, but my guide to bird tracks says that Ural Owl has pellets up to 6,5 cm long and Short-eared Owl up to 6 cm. Animal Tracks and Signs says Long-eared Owl up to 7,5cm and Short-eared rather longer. I would hesitate to rule smaller owls out, because pellets and droppings can be of variable size.
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Long-eared and Ural are more forest species and this was about ten miles from the nearest tree. Maybe Short-eared is a possibility, although the size of the pellets makes me think Snowy more likely.

Out of range of Eagle Owl according to Collins.

I don't think a Pine Marten leaves pellets does it?
 
Could easily be Snowy Owl, but could also easily be several months old left over from the winter, from a bird now long moved on - I'd not be waiting around hoping for it to return!
 
ClarkWGriswold said:
Pine Marten scat. At least I think soo:D
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Many animmals produce seasonal scats which can look very different e.g when there are plenty of fruits, the scat will be wet, like this, in the winter when they feen much more on live prey, it can look furry I think.

The volume of the scat and positioning make me think non avian?

Even Boar and Elk scat look different according to season and if that shot is a PM, it's been eating a lot of berries.

I quote a section on Pine Marten from 'Track and Signs' Olsen.

'The scat is similar to that of Beech Marten and can possibly resemble that of a Fox but the scat of the Pine Marten is often smaller and smells similar to the musk of a Roe Deer. The scat is 8-10cm long, 1-2cm thick , somewhat twisted and usually pointed at one end. It is normally black and contains the remains of hair and feathers . Scat is left in the open on stones, clumps of grass and tree stumps'.

I also think that the OP is old scat and affected by drying so it's hard to see any original features.
 
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I cannot imagine anything else but owl pellets here as afaik all mammal predators will disolve bones in their stomach and only reject fur, chitin or seed kernels, (as do diurnal raptors)
 
jurek said:
How regular is Snowy Owl breeding in Sweden?
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From what I can recall from chatting to a couple of birding chums from Stockholm, Snowy Owl is at best a very rare breeder in Sweden - if at all - and hard to connect with. Arbu may have some current info though.
 
jogresh said:
From what I can recall from chatting to a couple of birding chums from Stockholm, Snowy Owl is at best a very rare breeder in Sweden - if at all - and hard to connect with. Arbu may have some current info though.
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I was told on this forum a few years ago that only two or three pairs breed per year in Sweden. But I heard rumours of Snowy Owls at Hukejaure (67°56'7.90"N 17°58'3.37"E) when I was at the Tjatjka hut last week so walked over there. The hut warden there didn't know of them and I couldn't find any. But I did see these pellets on the walk to the hut at 68° 0'36.78"N, 18° 3'57.96"E.
 
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