Welcome to Sycamore - Year 3!

Autumn Term

As part of Year 3 science, Sycamore and Rowan class had the opportunity to dissect some owl pellets!

It was a fascinating session where children learnt about how a pellet was produced and what could be found inside!

Many kinds of birds produce pellets, including birds of prey, crows and even sparrows. The appearance of the pellet depends on what they eat. These pellets were from barn owls and contained the undigested fur and bones of as many as 6 small mammals, sometimes even more! Occasionally, very unusual remains may be found such as moles, beetle shells or frogs! It was lovely to see the children take care when dissecting the pellets and the discussion around what they thought about each bone was wonderful to hear. 

Many of our bones came from rodents, but there were a few bones which looked to be from small birds. Children also managed to piece together a skeleton of a vole. 

It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and the 'awe and wonder' on the children's faces was a joy to see!