what cause red brown splotches on car

My car was parked under a tree.  There are a bunch of large spots of a red brown liquid on the driver window/door.  I've never seen that before.  Any idea what it could be?  Normally I would not be concerned, but I have a former friend I have an issue with that I've had to call police numerous times...but I feel silly making a report if it is likely from the sky or a tree.


Showing some pix would be a big help


There are lots of red berries in season. I would suspect it to be bird poop.


can't get a good pic now in the dark


Sap? Insects? (Sometimes dead insects or their husks, if they shed skins or shells, can be used for dyeing textiles or foods)

And yeah, berries or leaves - I've just noticed massive red blotches under the 'shadow line' of a huge bunch of flowers that usually I wouldn't worry about. But these came from a friend's garden, and as they start to wither, their colour leaches from sepals and stamens and drips onto my pretty linens. 

Possum pee is corrosive and nasty. Bat droppings, similar, esp near trees because that's where insects lurk. 


"Parked under a tree" makes me think that the blotches you are seeing are the result of berries, sap, or poop coming from the tree.  We will need to see pictures of the tree and car to make a more positive identification. 


there are no berries on the tree...I doubt I will get pics with the rain today.  I am disabled and its  hard for me to get out.  And I've parked in that spot for YEARS and never got anything like that.

on another forum someone suggested it could be from a bat, but their pic looked browner, but that is a possibility.


I had an incident of 'criminal mischief' about a month ago with my former friend being the suspect.....there have been about 15 total incidents in the last couple years...if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be concerned.


The berries don't have to be on, or near your property. The birds fly a couple'a hundred feet to look for food. Then they return to the nest near your house and dump on your car.

Are their similar spots on your sidewalk? Property?

Does the residue on your car wash off quickly?  If you answer yes to either, it is probably not your neighbor.


Actually, with some natural residues, if you don’t wash them off within the first couple of hours they set quite hard. I think it’s something to do with territory marking? You’ll need warm soapy water, rather than a cold water hose.


it wiped off, but I had someone else throw something colorful on a car years ago that wiped right off (that was definitely not a bird, looked like the color of a fruity slush drink)...i didn't see anything else nearby..it dripped/ran down the side of the car this time.


Yeah, that sounds like our local birds & possums being ‘generous’.


Jmitw,

While I wouldn't seek to contradict your theory that someone is venting their spleen at you, here's another plausible theory. There are many migratory birds passing through (no pun intended) the area. Some have different dietary and excrescent habits, so perhaps what you experienced is the defecation of a visitor to these parts.


I know there is a strong  possibility it came from the sky...that is why I didn't immediately file a police report, but there is a small possibility it was a person, even just a kid with red food coloring in a water gun.
I know a few people that work in law enforcement (not local PD), had one of them  plus another neighbor look at it as a witness if anything should come of it.  I do have pics in the dark, but its hard to make out...I've never seen anything near that color on my car or any  other car or surface....and  the same birds have been migrating for centuries.


mrincredible said:

Jmitw,

While I wouldn't seek to contradict your theory that someone is venting their spleen at you, here's another plausible theory. There are many migratory birds passing through (no pun intended) the area. Some have different dietary and excrescent habits, so perhaps what you experienced is the defecation of a visitor to these parts.

 I must quibble with your use of the word excrescent in this context.

Though it was a good choice visually.



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