The acidic nature of bird poo is particularly bad for your paintwork. If left on, it can eat through the clearcoat and into the paintwork. Once the clearcoat is damaged, water can get underneath and suddenly a small patch becomes a larger damaged area. Paint where the clearcoat has been removed will fade.
Droppings from birds that eat seeds are worse than those from birds that eat invertebrates.
How can you avoid birds messing on your car?
You can never completely avoid the risks but there are plenty of ways you can minimise it. Avoid parking under trees where birds hang out – particularly ones with fruit. Birds tend to roost in trees at night. If you spot a tree next to the road and you can also see that there’s a lot of bird droppings on the surrounding pavement, your vehicle is at risk.
If you have to park outside, you can purchase a car cover, but the act of putting it on and taking it off will get annoying on a day-to-day basis.
If you do get bird droppings on your vehicle, wash them off as soon as possible.
Unverified methods
- Using an image of a bird of prey or a natural enemy of the bird in the windscreen
- Placing fake snakes on the roof
- Placing a plastic bag over the wing mirrors (the theory being the birds see themselves in the mirror and want to socialise with themselves, or attack a competitor)
- Choosing a less reflective car colour (e.g. you can’t see your reflection in a white car, but you can in a black car)
- Tying something to the wing mirrors that will move a lot
Darren has written over 3000 articles about driving and vehicles, plus almost 500 vehicle reviews and numerous driving courses. Connect with him on LinkedIn by clicking the name above
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