Pellet question

[Betsy_Beneke at fws dot gov]

Hi All -

I need some help.  We were doing some work on the new "bunkhouse" the
refuge acquired yesterday, and found some pellets and whitewash on the top
step outside the front door.  "Something" has been roosting on top of the
light fixture under the eve of the house.  The pellets are small, barely
more than 1/2 inch in diameter and roundish with a tear-drop shape on one
end, obviously the trailing end when it came out...  They're full of gray
fur of varying shades.  I didn't inspect further.

The house is about one mile west of I-15 on Forest street on the south side
of the road.  There's one large tree on the east side of the house and a
couple of smaller ones in the back.  There's a shed on the property that's
had a barn owl in it at some point, but we haven't seen a bird lately.  So,
it's pretty open, with few trees in the area.

What bird is leaving the pellets?  Could it possibly be a screech owl?

I only have experience with great grays, great horned, barred and snowy
owls...

Betsy Beneke
Outdoor Recreation Planner
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
58 South  950 West
Brigham City UT  84302
435-723-5887 ext. 16


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