Galen the Owl a hit at Goose Bay

A wise old owl brought curiosity and questions last week to Goose Bay Elementary students.

The PTA sponsored a special presentation by Lisa Peugot from the Alaska Bird Treatment and Learning Center.

Galen the great horned owl has visited Goose Bay Elementary School before, and his visits are always a favorite educational activity for the school's "Learning Buddy" program.

Younger children are teamed up with third-, fourth- and fifth-grade buddies to work together on various projects throughout the year.

The buddies sat together as Peugot explained the characteristics, habits and behaviors of various owls. She gave specific details about the great horned owls.

The older students asked questions for the younger students, and all eyes were riveted on Galen as he displayed his personality.

The students heard Galen softly hoot, saw him flap his wings (one of which is mostly missing), and turn his head 270 degrees. He panted by puffing out the feathers under his chin. The children appeared amazed with Peugot's explanation of his acute hearing and nighttime vision.

The students seemed especially intrigued by the silence of his wing flapping in comparison to that of other bird wings.

As a follow-up activity, the buddies reunited to dissect owl pellets. These are the discarded portions of the owl's meal. In these dry, furry "pellets" the students found, sorted, and classified the bones of mice, shrews and small birds.

Some of the students were even able to reconstruct entire skeletons of these creatures.

Spearheaded by Jane Erie, and supported by the PTA, more than half of the classes were involved in the learning activity.