Doug Allan / Emperor penguin males incubating eggs huddle for warmth at -40 degrees centigrade, winter, Antarctica. Green is excrement on snow. {Aptenodytes forsteri}

Tony Wu / Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), ten swimming together in gathering of more than 50 individuals. Whales with flatulence and defecating. Sri Lanka.

Stefan Christmann / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony huddling, males incubating eggs, on sea ice under full moon in polar night. Atka Bay, Antarctica. July 2017.

Brian Bevan / Pair of Reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) feeding young at nest, Bedfordshire, England, UK, July.

Michael Quinton / Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) carrying fecal sac from nest cavity in forest, Alaska

Dave Bevan / Female Blackbird (Turdus merula) feeding chicks at nest, removing faecal sacs, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK, June.

Ammonite / Male Yellow dung flies (Scathophaga stercoraria) fighting over a female on a cowpat, UK.

Ammonite / Male Yellow dung flies (Scathophaga stercoraria) fighting over a female on a cowpat, UK.

Dave Bevan / Male Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) entering nest hole and leaving with a faecal sac, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK, June.

Neil Aldridge / Dung beetle (Scarabaeidae) pushing ball of dung on Venetia Limpopo Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Staffan Widstrand / Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) nesting on wall of house, Vardo town, Varanger Peninsula, Norway, March.

Simon Colmer / Dung beetle (Scarabaeidae) rolling dung, Malawi. November.

Vincent Grafhorst / Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) bull marking territory by flicking dung, Chobe National Park, Botswana

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) adult male in spring plumage feeding on dung flies at farm midden heap, Hertfordshire, UK, April

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava flavissima) adult male in spring plumage feeding on dung flies at farm midden heap, Hertfordshire, UK, April. Did you know? Yellow wagtails commonly used to nest in wat...

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) adult male in spring plumage feeding on dung flies at farm midden heap, Hertfordshire, UK, April

Wild Wonders of Europe / Geslin / Kestrel (Falco tinninculus) perched in roosting hole in stone building in the Vatican garden, Rome, Italy, March 2010

Stephen Dalton / House mouse (Mus musculus) in biscuit packet, UK, controlled conditions

Wild Wonders of Europe / Möllers / Field of Meadow saffron crocus (Colchicum autumnale) one growing in cow dung, Mohacs, Béda-Karapancsa, Duna Drava NP, Hungary, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ruiz / Fallen leaves, pine needles animal fecal pellets in woodland on Stribrne Steny (459m) Hrensko, Ceske Svycarsko / Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic, November 2008

Andy Sands / Common house fly (Musca domestica) on cow dung, captive

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Osprey defecating {Pandion haliaetus} Qalhat, Oman

Adrian Davies / Red deer droppings {Cervus elaphus} UK

Jose B. Ruiz / Spanish ibex droppings {Capra pyrenaica} Avila, Spain

Dave Watts / Droppings of Spanish lynx {Lynx pardina} Spain

Kim Taylor / Green Dung Beetle (Garreta nitens) rolling a dung ball. Namibia, Africa.

Andrew Parkinson / Flightless dung beetle {Circellium bacchus) female rolling buffalo dung to lay egg in S Africa

Andrew Parkinson / Flightless dung beetle {Circellium bacchus} female rolling buffalo dung ball to lay egg in , Addo Elephant park, South Africa

Rolf Nussbaumer / Dung beetle rolling dung ball {Canthon sp} Texas, USA.

Mitsuhiko Imamori / Dung Beetle (Scarabaeidae) rolling dung ball, Kenya

Mitsuhiko Imamori / Dung Beetle (Scarabaeidae) rolling dung ball, Kenya

Mark Moffett / African Scarab Beetle (Circellium bacchus) rolling dung ball, Addo National Park, South Africa

Mark Moffett / African Scarab Beetle (Circellium bacchus) rolls animal dung into balls which are buried and fed upon by its larvae, South Africa

Norbert Wu / Scuba diver exploring ice caves below Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) breathing holes, life below feeds on seal feces, Antarctica

Norbert Wu / Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) breathing hole is above this ice cave with diver, the cave is filled with Sea Stars (Odontaster validus) that feeds on seal feces, Antarctica

Morley Read / Timelapse of a King swallowtail (Papilio thoas) butterfly caterpillar drinking water from the surface of a leaf, ), showing bird dropping camouflage, Napo Province, Ecuadorian Amazon. (non-ex)

Morley Read / King swallowtail (Papilio thoas) butterfly caterpillar, showing bird dropping camouflage, Napo Province, Ecuadorian Amazon. (non-ex)

Mike Read / Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) droppings, Cairngorms National Park, Highland Region, Scotland, UK, May.

JIM CLARE / Nests of Guanay cormorants, (Phalacrocorax bougainvilliiorum) after breeding has finished, shows build-up of guano around the nest. The colonies are strictly protected and the guano will be harvested...

JIM CLARE / Nest of Guanay cormorants, (Phalacrocorax bougainvilliiorum), after breeding has finished, shows build-up of guano around the nest. The colonies are strictly protected and the guano will be harvested...

JIM CLARE / Balls formed in and around nests of guanay cormorants (Phalacrocorax bougainvilliiorum) as they walk over moist ground and coat loose stones, or even eggs, with guano. Each of the balls usually has a...

JIM CLARE / Balls formed in and around nests of guanay cormorants (Phalacrocorax bougainvilliiorum) as they walk over moist ground and coat loose stones, or even eggs, with guano. Each of the balls usually has a...

JIM CLARE / Nests of Guanay cormorants, (Phalacrocorax bougainvilliiorum), after breeding has finished, shows build-up of guano around the nest. The colonies are strictly protected and the guano will be harvested...

JIM CLARE / Nests of Guanay cormorants, (Phalacrocorax bougainvilliiorum), after breeding has finished, shows build-up of guano around the nest. The colonies are strictly protected and the guano will be harvested...

JIM CLARE / Humboldt penguin, (Spheniscus humboldti) covered in guano after digging nest burrow. Punta San Juan, (Reserva Nacional de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras) Peru.

JIM CLARE / Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) dirty after digging nest burrows leave their nest colony to bathe. Punta San Juan, (Reserva Nacional de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras) Peru.

Nigel Cattlin / Cabbage root fly (Delia radicum) larva with frass in damaged Oilseed rape (Brassica napus napus) root.

Nigel Cattlin / Termite (Reticulitermes sp) workers on damaged wooden skirting board with debris and frass.

Nigel Cattlin / Cabbage root fly (Delia radicum) larvae with frass in damaged Oilseed rape (Brassica napus napus) root.

Nigel Cattlin / Termite (Reticulitermes sp) workers on damaged wooden skirting board with debris and frass.

Nigel Cattlin / Termite (Reticulitermes sp) workers on damaged wooden skirting board with debris and frass.

Nigel Cattlin / German cockroach (Blatella germanica) on diced Carrot.

Nigel Cattlin / Termite (Reticulitermes sp) workers and nymph on damaged wooden skirting board with debris and frass. Nymph with longer body and wing buds.

Nigel Cattlin / Termite (Reticulitermes sp) workers and soldier on damaged wooden skirting board with debris and frass.

Nigel Cattlin / Cabbage root fly (Delia radicum) larvae with frass in damaged Oilseed rape (Brassica napus napus) root.

David Woodfall / Manure, mixed with straw ready to spread on machair, sandy farmland. North Uist, Scotland, UK, June.

John Chan / Female Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) returning to nest to feed chicks, carries away a fecal sac, Southern California, USA, April.

Suzi Eszterhas / Cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) researcher of Proyecto Titi collecting fecal samples. Northern Colombia. 2016.

Eric Baccega / Malachite kingfisher (Alcedo cristata) defecating on stone. Baringo lake, Kenya, February.

Eric Baccega / Vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) foraging for seeds to eat in elephant dung, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Stefan Christmann / Sea ice with hollows where Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) breeding colony stood whilst huddling. Atka Bay, Antarctica. July.

Stefan Christmann / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) guano on sea ice, left behind by breeding colony. Atka Bay, Antarctica. July.

Stefan Christmann / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) males in colony huddling, faeces on ice in foreground. Atka Bay, Antarctica. July 2017.

Stefan Christmann / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) chick defecating whilst brooding on adult's feet. Atka Bay, Antarctica. August.

Stefan Christmann / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) faeces on ice. Atka Bay, Antarctica. August.

Stefan Christmann / Two Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) eggs abandoned on sea ice, during polar night. Atka Bay, Antarctica. June 2017.

Stefan Christmann / Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) egg abandoned on sea ice, during polar night. Atka Bay, Antarctica. June 2017.

Stefan Christmann / Cameraman Lindsay McCrae filming huddling Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony during winter storm and polar night, for BBC Dynasties Penguin programme. Atka Bay, Antarctica. June 2017.

Pal Hermansen / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), group on ledge of old house. Vardo, Finnmark, Norway. March.

Oscar Dewhurst / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) adults and recently-hatched chicks on nests on a building ledge in Newcastle city centre. The image also shows netting erected on the buildings to prevent kit...

Oscar Dewhurst / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) adults and recently-hatched chicks on nests on a building ledge in Newcastle city centre. The image also shows netting erected on the buildings to prevent kit...

Oscar Dewhurst / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) adults and chicks on nests on a ledge of the Tyne Bridge. Newcastle, UK. June

Oscar Dewhurst / Black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) on nests on the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle city centre. Newcastle, UK. May.

Oscar Dewhurst / Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) pair calling whilst perched on netting on a building in Newcastle city centre. The netting is erected on listed buildings as a deterrent to stop birds nesting...

Nick Upton / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) droppings. Found below an old deciduous tree with nest hole. Muraka Forest Reserve, near Lisaku, Estonia. April.

Nick Upton / Researcher labelling collection tube of Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) droppings. Droppings found below old deciduous tree with suitable nest hole. Muraka Forest Reserve, near Lisaku, Ida...

Nick Upton / Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) droppings in moss. Found underneath old deciduous tree with an occupied nest hole. Lisaku Park Forest, Estonia. April.

Nick Upton / Researcher examining Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) droppings. Mature mixed forest, near Lisaku, Estonia. April 2018. Model released.

Nick Upton / Researcher collecting Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) droppings below an old deciduous tree with an occupied nest hole. Muraka Forest Reserve, near Lisaku, Estonia. April 2018. Model releas...

Colin Varndell / Badger (Meles meles) latrine during extreme dry weather conditions. Dorset, UK, July.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Dry cattle dung, collected in a plastic bucket by Mongolian herdsmen, to use as fuel, Inner Mongolia, China. This is the main source of heat during the winter in these open grassland steppes.

Oriol Alamany / Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) scat in Spiti valley, Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, Himalaya mountains, Himachal Pradesh, India, February

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) sitting on nest. Circle of guano around nest. Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. April 2016.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) sitting on nest with hill in background. Circle of guano around nest. Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. April 2016.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii), pair looking at each other, at nest. Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. April 2016.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii), pair at nest. Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. April 2016.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) standing on rock on one leg. Seymour Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) standing on rock. Seymour Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) with chick at nest, on coast. Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island, Galapagos. December 2016.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii), pair looking at each other, on coastal rocks. Santa Fe Island, Galapagos. August 2015.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) at nest, brooding three eggs. Seymour Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii), pair with chick. Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Nazca booby (Sula granti), two males in competition for onlooking female. Gardner Islet, Floreana Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Nazca booby (Sula granti), two males in competition for onlooking female. Gardner Islet, Floreana Island, Galapagos.

Tui De Roy / Nazca booby (Sula granti), two males in competition for onlooking female. Gardner Islet, Floreana Island, Galapagos.

Bruno D'Amicis / Earthworm casts (Lumbricus sp.) on forest floor in old-growth Beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, Italy. November 2013