Is your car covered in more bird droppings than others? We tell you why
Birds have to poop, unfortunately, the beauty of science can be hard to appreciate when it results in green and white smudges on your car. However, there may be colors or driving habits that make some cars more attractive to birds looking for a place to relieve themselves.
This month, the company, from Virginia, published the “Bird Poop Report,” which surveyed 1,000 American drivers about their experience with bird droppings on their cars. The report combines survey responses with ornithological research, revealing a mix of expected but surprising data on the relationship between bird evacuation activity and the appearance of vehicles.
Is your car a bird magnet?
In general, cars in brown, red, and black are more likely to end up with bird droppings, while lighter colors like white or silver tend to avoid watery spots. In terms of brands, Ram trucks appeared to be the most affected, followed by Jeep, Chevrolet, Nissan, and Dodge.
The survey asked participants about their overall experience with bird droppings. For example, 58% of participants said that a bird dirtied their car twice in the same day, and 11% said that their car’s paint had been damaged.
Around 30% claimed birds had a vendetta against their car, with Lexus (47%), Tesla (39%), and Dodge (35%) owners being the most affected. In context, Dodge and Tesla rank fifth and seventh, respectively, in the survey’s list of the top 10 brands most likely to be targeted by birds (Lexus is not among those 10 brands).
## Avian Interference
The survey also found that bird droppings often interfere with the daily routine of drivers, with 6% of respondents saying they had to delay or cancel plans to clean their car, and 14% reporting that bird droppings fell on them when getting in or out of the vehicle.
Cleaning the car also represents an expense. 57% of respondents admitted to paying for a specific car wash because of bird droppings, and 39% said they visit the car wash several times a month due to bird droppings.
As a result, costs add up quickly. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they spend more than $500 a year on cleaning or repairing bird-related car issues. For Tesla and BMW owners, maintenance costs due to bird droppings often exceeded $500, according to the report.
The fear of bird droppings has also led to changes in driver habits. More than half of respondents said they were upset that the place where they park their car lacks sufficient protection against bird droppings, and 38% said they don’t mind walking a block or two more to avoid “bird dropping zones.”
## Science Provides Precautionary Measures
The survey offers several reasons why some cars seem to attract more birds. In urban areas, birds often perch in trees, power lines, or street signs because they provide security and visibility, according to the report. This means that vehicles parked in these locations are “in the line of fire.”
Additionally, birds are attracted to certain colors due to an extra cone cell in their eyes that allows them to see ultraviolet light. This may explain why brown, red, and black cars appear to attract more birds.
“If you feel like your car is a magnet for bird droppings, you may be right,” the report suggests. “Science suggests it may be more than just bad luck.”
