You may have noticed that bird poop tends to be white in color.
This is especially easy to see on rooftops, sidewalks, and other structures that birds enjoy sitting on.
In some cases, the entire building or structure turns white.
But, why is bird poop white and not brown?
The answer is uric acid.
Let’s get into it.
Bird Poop vs Mammal Poop
The reason bird poop is white is that birds do not poop like mammals.
Mammals, humans included, secrete urine (in the form of urea) separately from poop.
But, birds secrete both at the same time.
This means that bird poop is actually a combo of uric acid (a bird’s version of pee) and feces.
When it’s fresh, you can see the dark center of the bird droppings (the feces), surrounded by a white pasty substance ( the uric acid).
So, the reason that bird poop is white is because of uric acid, which is actually bird pee.
Fun fact: Compared to urea (what we mammals excrete), uric acid (bird pee) contains far less water, which makes it much stickier and harder to remove from windows, roofs, and other surfaces.
Is a Bird Pooping on You Good Luck?
If you want it to be.
Most of the time having a bird poop on you is unpleasant and inconvenient.
If a bigger bird, like a seagull, poops on you’ll likely feel very unlucky, because seagull poop is full of uric acid and smells terrible.
Why Do Birds Poop on Cars?
Birds poop on cars because cars are often parked under structures that birds enjoy sitting on, like lampposts, trees, and rooftops.
Most birds are not going to target your car, they have better things to do, like search for food and patrol their territory.
If you feel like your car is being targeted by birds, avoid parking under structures that birds might sit on.
Best Way to Remove Bird Poop
Bird poop is surprisingly hard to remove once it dries so it’s smart to remove it as soon as possible.
The supplies you need to remove are:
1. Sponge or dish cloth
2. Spray bottle (or bucket if you have a lot of bird poop to clean)
3. Car wash soap or dish soap
4. Gloves (optional but recommended)
Bird poop that is fresh or semi-soft can easily be wiped away with a soap and water mixture.
To remove bird poop that has dried or solidified, mix car soap or dish soap with warm/hot water and pour/scrub it into the bird droppings.
Let it sit for about five minutes and then use a sponge or dish cloth to remove the bird poop.
If warm water and soap fail to remove the stain, try using a commercial bird dropping remover which is formulated to break down uric acid (the stuff that makes bird poop white).
Conclusion
I hope learning why bird poop is white was interesting, maybe even entertaining.
If you want to learn more about birds and the qualities that makes them so captivating, join the Byrder newsletter, we are a growing community of bird enthusiasts.
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