Fifth grade science students will use this Track to access sites about barn owls. The purpose of this activity is to provide students with some background information about barn owls as they complete the following performance task. The Missouri Conservation Department has asked us to help them with a problem. It appears starling birds are close to being endangered. They have asked us to study the diet of the barn owl since this is a predator of the starling. We need to report what the barn owls are eating in this area. Students will follow up the research by disecting owl pellets and identifying the diet of these owls. Missouri Assessment Program Inquiry Skills A2. conduct research to answer questions and evaluate information and ideas A3. design and conduct field and laboratory investigations to study nature and society A4. use technological tools and other resources to locate, select and organize information Science Skills. 3. characteristics and interactions of living organisms KEY WORDS: barn owl, owl pellets, owl, owls, birds