How to identify the pellet contents

The keys in this guide will help you to identify the contents of the pellets.

1.  The basic material (Matrix)
Fur will lead you to expect mammal remains. It may even keep its colour and help you to recognise the species.

Feathers often break down into a loose powder, but you can still usually find small quills, the central stem of the feathers. They alert you to look for bird remains.

Sand or soil usually indicates earthworms. You will need to use a microscope to find the minute bristles called chaetae which confirm this.

2.  Bones
Some bones are especially useful for identifying the species of prey. In this guide we use the bones of the head - skull and jawbones - as the means of identifying species. When you have found and cleaned them, try and work out what they are by using the key to skulls. A few other bones are good indicators of species. The most important of these are shown in the key.

Sometimes it is interesting to know the origin of each bone, and what part of the body it is from. We have included a diagram, which illustrates the bones of a typical small mammal, and shows where in the body they are found.

3.  Other remains
Some insect remains are fairly easily recognisable, for example the wing cases of beetles. Other hard parts which survive include legs, jaws and even complete heads. Some of these are illustrated in the key.