Avian "feces bombardment" haunts Chinese owners of aggressive pets

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- A black bird swoops down, deliberately splattering its droppings at a pet cat pawing behind windowpane. What sounds like a Tom and Jerry scene is, for some pet owners in China, a real-life nuisance.

From east China's Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces to central China's Hubei Province, many have recently shared videos of pets, homes and even people being "bombarded" by birds, not as isolated incidents but as repeated, targeted encounters.

Ms. Chen from Jiangsu is one of them. About a month ago, a pair of blackbirds built a nest in a tree outside her window. Her cat once leapt at the glass, trying to catch them as they flew past. Since then, the birds have returned twice a day, often dropping feces at the spot where the cat sits.

For Mr. Zhang in Anhui, the situation was even more surreal. In early April, his dog barked at a tree, likely disturbing nesting birds. Since then, Zhang says he has been targeted with bird droppings whenever he appears in the area. He now walks his dogs in an underground garage.

China Newsweek analyzed the videos and confirmed that the birds belong to a single species, the Chinese blackbird (Turdus mandarinus), which can be found in many parts of the country. Despite its wide distribution, the species is under national wildlife protection.

The bird, with its jet-black plumage and bright yellow beak, is known for its strong instinct to protect its nest and young, especially during the breeding season. By remembering perceived threats, it may repeatedly target other animals or humans with droppings.

The behavior of deterring potential danger is common among birds during the breeding period, said Li Zhongqiu, a professor at the Nanjing University School of Life Sciences. For Chinese blackbirds, this period lasts from April to July.

Pet owners have shared their experiences with a mix of self-mockery and helplessness, asking for advice on how to keep their windows clean. Suggestions include hanging eagle-shaped kites, drawing the curtains, or keeping pets away from window areas. However, none of these measures appears to be effective so far.

In fact, as early as 2019, posts about the species attacking pets could already be found online, though they attracted little attention at the time.

According to the 2026 China Pet Industry White Paper (Consumption Report), the number of pet dogs and cats in China's urban areas reached 126 million in 2025, nearly one-tenth of the country's total population of 1.4 billion.

The recent surge in discussion about the interactions between vengeful but amusing birds and household pets not only reflects growing public affection for "fur babies," but also mirrors improvements in China's ecological conditions and rising bird populations.

From late April to May, the annual "Bird-Loving Week" events are being held across the country, along with the release of the latest bird protection results.

Taking Beijing as an example, the number of bird species has reached 531, meaning that the Chinese capital, which covers only 0.17 percent of the country's land area, accounts for more than one-third of its bird species, highlighting the richness of urban biodiversity.

In the comment section of the lifestyle-sharing platform RedNote, pet owners jokingly share photos of their cats next to bird droppings, while also reassuring each other to simply put up with the mess, as the breeding season will soon come to an end.

The love for animals goes beyond pet ownership. In recent years, birdwatching has emerged as a popular hobby in China, especially among young people under 30. A report released by RedNote in April 2025 shows that in 2024, the number of birdwatching posts was 1.2 times the total accumulated over the previous decade.

Species such as Chinese blackbirds are increasingly nesting in parks, woodlands and even residential communities, while more migratory birds are appearing in urban parks, said Zheng Yunxiang, an engineer at the Shanghai Forestry General Station. Zheng added that progress in ecological conservation has created better conditions and greater appeal for birdwatching enthusiasts.

"No wonder Jingwei is a bird, such incredible persistence," one RedNote user commented on the Chinese blackbirds. Jingwei, a bird from Chinese mythology, is said to tirelessly fill up the sea with stones and twigs after drowning.

The remark also resonates with China's long-term efforts in ecological conservation. The country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), released in March this year, called for further improving the diversity, stability and sustainability of ecosystems, a continued commitment to harmony between humans and nature. ■