On Sun, 10 Jan 1999, Robert Taylor wrote:


> Most appear to have mice/shrew/vole parts and others
> have small birds.

I once probed through a owl pellet I found in the kent/auburn valley and
there were several complete skulls. I was able to identify to genus that
they were microtus sp. (meadow voles). While mice and vole skulls can be
hard to tell apart if one does not have experience at it, shrew skulls can
be readily told from the others: two best (easiest) chraracteristics are a
elongated snout and a red pigmentation on the upper parts of the tooth.

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My pathetic attempt at Sorex Sp. (Shrew), look in a field guide that shows
skulls well. A good one, though quite dated is Ingles, Mammals of the
pacific states. 1965.

Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA