To wish parents would stop toddlers charging after birds

[yesterdaysunshine]

I've already had a mini whinge about this but it's happened again and I'm fed up.

When a kid charges towards pigeons, they fly up en masse and seek to find somewhere else to go, which means because they don't get up very high, they are eye level with your face.

So while YOUR toddler has had the time of their life, MY toddler has had a horrible fright!

so have i

Why, oh why do people not appreciate its really anti social?

Erm ... Okay

why?

You honestly don't think it's a tad stressful for them when something much, much larger stamps near them?

Probably, but that's basically how they adapted to spend their lives: being small, nearly at the bottom of the food chain and flying away from things a lot. Unlike most animals, which run away from things a lot less often- they're either hiding (eg mice) or big enough not to need to fear so many things (sheep/cows/horses). And it's an action and a speed they can keep up all day, they're not physically exhausted by it.

I'm not saying it's right to let children chase them, but they are creatures that spend a lot of time flying away from something. They've got this covered. I'd stop my child for the sake of teaching them a lesson about all animals and for the original reason of not wanting to annoy everyone in the vicinity, but I wouldn't worry over the pigeons.

I'm not particularly but I think when you've got a clear choice of scaring a bird or not scaring a bird the latter is common sense.

In general I wish town and city centres maintained the anti pigeon devices as I do think they are becoming a pest through their numbers, but that certainly isn't their fault!

Would anybody let their toddler charge up to rabbits feeding in the evening or cats sunning themselves?

Possibly if the rabbit was in my veg patch but on principle no absolutely not.

*in principle

Someone once really shouted at dd (who was about 3) in Hyde park for doing this.

Good!

Brats, uber?

I always feel bad for the birds and always wonder why it's socially acceptable to scare them when you wouldn't do the same to people/other animals.

Pigeons are vermin. Horrid things. I wish they didn't exist in such numbers and I loved living abroad where they didn't!
No, I have never allowed a child to chase them (or any other animal), but personally I want the whole lot shot. They are just rats with wings.

No, they are not but without them the food chain would be in trouble and that goes for rats as well.

Exactly Tartan they still feel pain and fear. I hate the hierarchy depending on how cute they look.

So fatpanda if I run up to your toddler and scream in their faces or let my enormous bull mastiff chase them, it's fine and not abuse because I/he didn't actually hurt them? Because animals have feelings too you know? They get frightened and stressed when something much larger charges at them. Why do they not have the right to go about their lives in peace?

pigeons are a pest and a nuisance, they damage cars, buildings and spread disease. They are vermin and, following certain conditions, it is perfectly legal to destroy them.

My toddler is neither of these things. I have no issue with kids chasing vermin, it's completely inefficient, but it is absolutely not incompatible with teaching them empathy. . You forbid your kids to chase flies away too?

YANBU I am scared of birds - genuine phobia and hate this. People may mock but imagine if the thing you were frightened of came flying in your face/hair. So think giant spiders, snappy dogs etc... and wonder if you would find it so trivial.

Humans do far more damage, I despair of these parents that encourage this sort of behaviour.

It's the sheer arrogance of some humans that think they can allow their offspring to terrorise living creatures because they deem them as pests.
Yes, it is incompatible with teaching empathy.

I hate this as well. It's not amusing to have pigeons flying towards your face as they make a get away.
I don't think it's a good idea to let your kids torment birds either - popular pastime though, as I happen across this too often.
No need for it I say.

Past time 😳

Get a grip. It's part of a child's natural curiosity and sense of mischief to do this.

Yep- and it's a parents job to correct. 'get a grip'- the most intelligent argument known to MN.

A child's natural curiosity and mischief can take them into the road, railway line, sea - you stop them. For their safety but also for consideration.

Letting a toddler run at pigeons so that they fly in people's faces is antisocial.
The message that it is ok to torment birds is also irresponsible.
I'm not saying that everyone has to love pigeons - but they are not toys.

Fat panda, WTF? Hope that's a joke. Hate it when people think it's acceptable to frighten animals, including pigeons. I've told kids off for doing this myself.

I don't think the pigeons really give a fuck - if they were distressed they would actually fly off rather than just flutter about a bit and settled 5 feet away.