Why Do Birds Like to Poop On My Clean Car?

Nobody wants to deal with bird poop on the car. It’s dirty, it’s gross, and it can be challenging to clean off.

But have you ever wondered why birds decide to relieve themselves on our precious vehicles?

Believe it or not, there are two reasons: they see their reflection, or we’re parked too close to their nests.

The former occurs when birds view their image in the car’s shiny exterior–excitement and anxiety cause them to release bowel movements right then and there.

As for the latter reason, if your vehicle is situated near avian homes, they may accidentally “redecorate” your car with poop instead of theirs.

In the following article, I will explore why these creatures loiter and defecate on your car, the colors of vehicles they like to poop on most, and ways to deter them.

What Car Colors Get Pooped on Most?

UK auto parts company, Halfords, researched and found that red followed by blue and black, are the colors of vehicles often defecated on the most.

The research was conducted over two days observing 1,140 vehicles in five different cities: Brighton, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, and Bristol.

Of all the colors, red seems to be the favorite for bird droppings, making up 18% of cases. Blue is a close second at around 14%, and black cars come in third with 11%.

The frequency goes down from there, with 7% being white cars, 3% gray/silver, and lastly, green at only 1%.

Various Reasons Birds Poop on Clean Vehicles

As I stated earlier, there are two primary reasons birds poop on cars. The first has to do with the bird’s natural instincts, while the second is more of an accident.

But besides those two most common ones, there can also be a few other reasons. Let’s elaborate on all of them here:

1- Birds Mark Their Territory With Poop

Depending on the species, birds mark their territories in a variety of ways, such as singing, drumming, building nests, and for some-by, pooping.

While pooping on cars, they leave their fecal matter on cars to signal to other birds that the area is claimed.

2- Your Car Parked Under the Tree or Wire

Birds typically relieve themselves from trees or wires, which cars are often parked beneath. If you park your car under these objects, it’s likely that droppings will fall on top of it.

3- Birds Often Get Stressed or Scared Around the Car

Birds easily get stressed for various reasons- one being that they have to excrete often because of their small body size and quick metabolism.

Another stressor is when they see their reflection in a clean car; upon mistaking their reflection for another bird, the bird becomes agitated and relieves itself.

The birds would also get frightened that they might get injured or attacked as the car came close to their resting place, so they’d rid themselves of stress.

4- Birds Confuse a Blue Car With the Blue River or Sea Water

Many birds like to drink, bathe, and poop in the water, so it’s only logical that they would mistake a blue car for a body of water.

The same goes for white cars; they could be mistaken for clouds or snow.

Though not one of the colors most commonly defecated on by birds, white vehicles are more likely than any other color to get bird droppings in the evening.

This is because white cars remain reflective during nighttime hours.

The similarity in color between birds’ plumage and cars’ bodies also often attracts the former to the latter; for example, pigeons often target gray automobiles.

5- For Many Avians, Bright Red is the Color of Food and Mating

Generally, birds are attracted to the red and pink hues of flowers and fruit because they think they will be able to find food there.

When they realize that’s not the case with cars, though, all they’re left with is an option to create a mess with the droppings to relieve their stress.

Also, when males want to mate with females, they use a coital dance and red colors. If unsuccessful, they would pass stool in frustration.

Females would follow suit if they saw what appeared to be another potential mate–only later realizing their mistake upon seeing their reflection.

Consequently, both male and female birds tend to do these practices on red cars more often than in other colors.

Birds Keep Pooping On My New Car – What to Do to Prevent Them?

Preventing birds from pooping on your car is not 100% possible, but there are still a few things you can care for and do to keep the birds off your vehicle.

• Use a bird deterrent (like a fake snake) near the parking area
• Don’t leave your car in the same spot for too long
• Try to keep your car clean and covered when parking for long
• If you have a red, blue, or white car, try to keep it in the shade and out of sight of birds.
• If you often park your car under trees or wires where birds roost, try to find another safe spot.

You must use the proper tools and products when removing bird poop, as a little mistake can significantly affect expensive car paint.

Here are the tips you can use without causing any damage to your car:

1- Use a microfiber cloth to remove bird poop. If it has already dried, gently take off the bird droppings using a plastic scraper or apply a liquid solution until it unstiffens.

Be careful, as this may cause damage to your car paint.

2- Wash your car with a solution of hot water, baking soda, and a few drops of liquid soap.

To wash your car, use a water spray and apply a soap solution afterward. You can also optionally apply wax to protect your car coating after washing it.

3- Applying carbonated drinks and commercial bird poop removers will also help remove the uric acid from the bird’s waste, making it easier to clean up.

The Conclusion

Believe it or not, the color of your car can affect how often it gets pooped on by birds.

In addition to being unsightly and embarrassing, bird poop is also acidic and can damage paintwork, leading to costly repairs.

So if you’re planning on buying a new car that must be parked outside often, choose a color that birds don’t like too much.