Comparison of Leporid Bones in Raptor Pellets, Raptor Nests, and Archaeological Sites in the Great Basin

Abstract

Leporid (cottontail and hare) bones deposited on the landscape in raptor pellets may exhibit more forelimb than hindlimb bones, few complete bones, more subadult than adult bones, and abundant vertebrae. In contrast, raptor nest assemblages may exhibit more tibiae than forelimb bones, few incomplete bones, more adult than subadult bones, and few vertebrae. Approximately 1 to 2 percent of leporid bones deposited in either raptor nests or raptor pellets are likely to exhibit puncture marks. Leporid bone assemblages created by humans in the Great Basin may exhibit large numbers of adult Lepus or adult Sylvilagus tibia diaphysis cylinders, many burned and unidentifiable fragments of bone, few identifiable vertebrae and sacra, and assemblages that consist primarily of adult animals. These data suggest that archaeologists should be able to identify leporid bone assemblages that were created largely or solely by the deposition of raptor pellets, by the deposition of unswallowed bones under raptor nests, or by the deposition of bones by humans. Assemblages created by any combination of these three processes, however, will be more difficult to interpret.