When it comes to owl feces, there are lots of misconceptions, starting with the wildest one – owls poop solid bricks (they don’t).
But how similar is owl poo to other birds’ excrements, and what exactly does it look like?
Do Owls Poop Solid Bricks?
Since owls are carnivores and feed on rodents, birds, and other animals, it seems like they could also generate large and solid poop.
However, the truth of the matter is very different. In a sense, we could argue that owls don’t poop at all! They don’t make solid poop like mammals do, and their excretions look very different.
Even so, owls do generate solid waste products. They just vomit them instead of pooping them out!
Some people assume that owls poop, but that’s because they don’t really know about owl pellets. We can’t blame them; after all, owl pellets resemble oval or cylindrical poop.
They are brown and can look similar to poop excreted by felines, foxes, and Coyotes. However, the details reveal their true nature. Instead of being composed of poop matter, owl pellets are mostly made of compacted hair, tiny bones, and feathers!
In other words, they are made of animal parts that the owl can’t digest. Instead of fur and other hard parts of their prey getting passed through their digestive system, those hard parts gather in their gizzard until the owl has to get rid of the pellet.
What does owl poop actually look like?
Pellets look like poop and have some of the same characteristics. However, since they differ in some basic ways, we can’t really categorize them as poop.
While poop is excreted, owls cough up or vomit their pellets. Not to mention, poop is also created after passing through an animal’s entire digestive system. Owl pellets, on the other hand, are formed in a bird’s gizzard.
Owls need to cough up pellets, but they still excrete waste, too. Like other birds, they poop out a chalky white substance. In a sense, we could argue that it’s not poop because that white substance is composed of uric acid. Therefore, it’s more like urine than poop!
Nevertheless, since owl “poop” is more pasty and less liquified than some other birds, it’s not exactly urine either. On account of its bright white coloration, a lot of birders refer to this owl poop as “whitewash.”
If you are looking for owls, it also pays to know what whitewash looks like. You might say that whitewash (and pellets) are an owl watcher’s best friend! Find these owl excretions, and you can find hidden roosting owls.
The Pooping Habits Of Owls
Fortunately, for us birders hoping to spot owls, these neat birds poop on a regular basis! Even better, they often poop in the same spots. This can build up whitewash, which makes it easier to locate roosting owls.
Owls rarely eject poop in flight, typically only doing so just before they fly from a perch. Most other birds do the same thing; it helps them reduce weight so they can fly better and might also deter a predator that got too close.
Owls typically poop out whitewash once a day, sometimes from a day perch but also from perches at night. Some small owl species may poop whitewash more at night and away from their usual perches. They may do this to keep predators from tracking them down. Since large owls don’t have as many predators to be concerned with, they may poop whitewash more from one or two main day perches.
To avoid predators, most owls don’t poop at or near their nest either. However, nestling screech-owls poop in a little pile inside their nests.
As far as pellets go, most owls eject one pellet per day, two at the very most. They can eject them either in the day or at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do owls poop?
Owls usually poop once per day.
Do owls urinate?
Yes and no. Like other birds, owls eject uric acid. However, they don’t produce urine.
Why can’t owls digest bones?
Owls can’t digest bones because they don’t have a gizzard or digestive properties strong enough to pulverize them.
Linda Finke
Monday 4th of November 2024
We have been told that a large owl likes to perch on our deck railing and about a week ago, our deck was covered in a whitewash looking spray. It covers a twelve foot area! We can’t figure out what it might be unless an owl (or two?) were marking their territory. We’re also having trouble washing it off. I have pictures.