Re: Bird Droppings

["Kristin Purdy" <kristinpurdy at comcast dot net>]

Marvis,

Generically speaking, when a bird leaves a little pile, the word for the
substance also begins with an "s" and ends with a "t" and is four letters
long.  However, I can't actually type the word in a public post because this
is a family forum and I wouldn't want the webmaster to have to censor me.

Owl excrement is called whitewash.  In the book, 'How to Spot an Owl',
Patricia and Clay Sutton describe whitewash:  "It is very white, thick, and
cakey--unmistakable once you are familiar with it", and, "Do not be confused
by songbird whitewash: it has black streaks running through it and is not
solid white", and finally, "The smaller owls return to a perch day after
day.  After a period of time, their whitewash drips like white candle wax
down through the branches and collects on branches below and on the trunk or
the ground.  It is surprising how visible this whitewash can be."

I haven't seen Western Screech-owl whitewash, but I've seen Great Horned Owl
and Barn Owl whitewash.  Both are very white and appeared to be liquid
before they dried.  The Great Horned Owl whitewash was splattered on
vegetation below a nest site.  The Barn Owl whitewash was EVERYWHERE under a
perch, as were globby black pellets.  The whitewash looked like someone had
thrown splats of white latex paint on the ground.  I wanted to get away from
the area quickly for fear of contracting some kind of disease.

If your little owl really is still hanging about in your yard, you might be
able to find it during the day with a meticulous search of your trees.  The
process is a lot easier said than done--I've tried it with Western
Screech-owls and failed, with Northern Saw-whet Owls and failed, and with
Flammulated Owls and failed.  Maybe the law of averages is in my favor and
one day...

Kris

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marvis Collett" <mcslcutah@mindspring.com>
To: <birdtalk@utahbirds.org>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 1:33 PM
Subject: Bird Droppings


> When an animal leaves a little pile I think it is called "skat."  I
> don't know the name for when a bird leaves a little pile.  Is there
> anything like a book of bird droppings like there is for animal droppings.
>
> Now to the point.  I have been finding piles about the size of a quarter
> which are black on one side (the side which touched the ground) and very
> white (typical of birds) on the top and maybe 1/2 inch deep.  It looks
> like bird droppings.  We had a small owl for two nights that we have not
> been able to locate since those nights.  Is it possible that these are
> droppings from an owl?  If it is a bird it would have to be a very large
> bird.  It is not a cat and not a racoon--I know those.  They are not owl
> pellets with which I am familiar.
>
> Any help? Should it be an owl I would stay up later with my flashlight!
>
> Marvis Collett
>
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