Watch a Video of Ricke the Great Horned Owl Eating a Mouse

We wanted to share a video of Ricke the great horned owl having his lunch.  It is a great way to talk about natural behavior for this species. 

Owls often eat their prey whole, including bones and fur.  The unneeded solid waste is what results in pellets, which are regurgitated.  (You can order pellets here.)

In the video, Ricke is offered a mouse, which is a natural prey item.  Watch (and listen!) as Ricke flips his head to re-orient the mouse.  There is less resistance as the mouse is swallowed if it is turned so the mouse's nose, and therefore its legs, body and way the hair coat grows, is turned towards the inside of the owl's mouth.