I think it is likely to be the mirror effect, ie
the stress at seeing their reflection, combined with what (as I recall from uni
days half my life ago), mouse biologists called "open field
emotionality". That is when they are excited or nervous, they poo a lot.
The Superb Fairy-wrens I had breeding in my yard did exactly the same thing on
my blue Land Rover (even in the dark carport) or a visiting white
sedan.
Philip
Hi all for quite some time (many
months) now I've had Rufous-banded Honeyeaters 'soiling' my car. Birds
perch on the external rear view mirrors and then leave their droppings.
Today, one seemed as if it were waiting for me to get home - little
sooner than I'd shut my door after getting out of the car, one was
sitting on the mirror. A few minutes after it was doing its droppings,
almost as if it had waited all day for me. My question is, why is
this happening? When perched on the mirror, the birds look a little as
if they may be checking the place for insects, but this doesn't last
long. They look a little as if they're interested in their reflection
but this doesn't last long either. It really seems the main thing
they're doing is using my car for a toilet. Any comments?
Happy
birding & turding Niven
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