Bird Droppings

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

I don't even know which forumto put this in. I found it on the bridge that I often watch Water Voles from. I'm guessing it's a dropping of some sort. I thought it was an owl pellet at first but then realised it was covered in seeds and had no signs of fur or bones. Its about an inch long and is the shape of a squashed pear. The outside is covered in seeds, plenty of brambles in the area. Under the seeds it's black. I had no gloves with me and as it was at the start of my water voleing morning I didn't pick it up, but it didn't really smell of anything, certinally not rancid. Looking at my book of poo I don't think its from a mammal. This is where I found it, on the top of the bridge side panel. As I say I have know idea what it is. Could even be a man made something or other, hopefully not a dropping in that case. Any one any ideas?




Thanks
BWD

[jdurbo]

Looks like a clump of rice krispies!!

jen xxx

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by jdurbo

Looks like a clump of rice krispies!!

jen xxx

Yeah, I guess so.

The photo is about three times larger than normal size. I'm fairly sure Jen's rice krispies are bramble pips or seeds.

[Dogghound]

just a bird dropping probably from a blackbird thats been eating berrys or cherrys etc.

[paulchandler6]

I've found most if not all bird droppings are rather liquid in form. However other birds are capable of regurgitating pellets other than BOP's and Owls. Maybe its that or I would suggest a mammal of sorts. unless a bird has a constipatory problem.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by paulchandler6

I've found most if not all bird droppings are rather liquid in form.

Its probrably dried out, alot of birds droppings arnt liquid geese for example, just depends on the diet. Its not mammalian.

[epops]

blackbird been eating blck berries i reckon

[paulchandler6]

Sorry, just had another thought. Are those very small pebbles embedded in the dropping or seeds? Could the dropping have been rolled there by a beetle?

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by paulchandler6

Sorry, just had another thought. Are those very small pebbles embedded in the dropping or seeds? Could the dropping have been rolled there by a beetle?

Seeds, Scarabaeidae beetles dont leave it in a pellet shape like that, and as far as im aware its only mammal dung they eat i may be wrong, pretty sure its not a beetle and just a blackbird.

[Pigeon feather]

It looks like a pellet of some sort as opposed to a dropping, I've seen a starling cough up pellets before...

[Ferret]

I think your picture is of a pellet from a thrush species, probably Blackbird that has been feeding on Blackberries.
I believe most birds disgorge pellets of indigestible material in the same way that Birds of Prey and Owls do but are rarely found as the smaller more active species do not sit around between meals but are on the hunt for the next meal and drop there pellets wherever they happen to be, Birds of Prey and Owls tend to sit at regular perches while they digest there much larger and more nutritious meals and therefore tend to drop there pellets in the same place each time, this along with the pellets tending to be quite large makes them easier to find.

[paulchandler6]

Originally Posted by Ferret

I think your picture is of a pellet from a thrush species, probably Blackbird that has been feeding on Blackberries.

I agree with you, have been looking at the structure and it looks pellet like. Have seen Crow species, herons, Swifts and Thrushes all bring up pellets. Cheers

[naturelover]

hi i might be wrong but what about a hedghog they do black poo, perhaps he likes blackberrys.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Thanks for all the replies. I still find it hard to believe that a blackbird could produce something so solid and large, as I said it's nearly an inch long. As it's on a bridge it could be a regular perch for a bird, I know herons, kestrels and buzzards are all active along the river, I've always assumed that they only eat meat, but then I don't know much about birds.

BWD