Finishing washing the car and, immediately, seeing the moon or a pigeon’s gift on the body is something that has happened to all of us at some point. What if these urban birds had a predilection for a certain color when aiming? That’s the question with which the British Ornithological Foundation began studying which cars are most exposed to pigeon droppings.
This entity dedicated two consecutive days to analyze the condition of 1,140 cars in five cities in England and Scotland: Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester. The color was one of the central data of the statistics that has revealed which of all is the favorite of the pigeons by a landslide.
Almost one in five cars (18%) that were blessed by British pigeons were red. Next, 14% of the cars marked by droppings were blue; 11%, black; 7% white and 3% silver. Among the cars analyzed, green was the least popular color for pigeons with only 1% of targets with this characteristic.
The researchers also asked the drivers how long it took them to remove excrement from their car. 17% said they removed them as soon as they saw them, 20% within two days, and 55% let them go until the next time they washed the car. 8% responded that they never washed their car themselves.
Birds excrete waste in the form of uric acid, which is insoluble in water, creating a sticky white paste. Feces can soften the paint lacquer if the drop expands and dries, so it’s important to remove it as soon as possible. To do this, you can use a damp cloth and, additionally, a specific wipe or spray.
Although it has not been scientifically proven, ornithologists believe that birds identify the color red as a danger signal. This could explain why cars of this color are the most attacked. However, the British Ornithological Foundation concluded that while pigeons may be more attracted to certain colours, the likelihood of them defecating on cars is more related to where they are parked. That is, if you park under a tree or a streetlight, you are more likely to find a prize when you return to the car.
