Why bird nests aren’t covered in poop

An ornithologist explains how robin hatchlings and their parents keep their nest clean. Welcome to our first-ever week of programming for kids! Earlier this year I noticed a bird nest with a single bright blue egg sitting on my front porch. Over the course of a few days, the single egg turned into four, and in a few more days, they hatched. What I witnessed over the course of watching these birds grow was magical, but it also left me with a lot of questions about what goes on in the beginning of a bird’s life. My biggest question: Where does all the bird poop go? To answer all of my question about these baby birds, I spoke with professor of biology and lifelong bird lover Michael Murphy about the weird and often gross things birds do to survive. If you’re looking to learn more about birds here are two incredible resources: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology K-12 online learning: National Audubon Society: We designed these episodes for kids ages 9-1