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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wish parents would stop toddlers charging after birds

159 replies

yesterdaysunshine · 21/10/2016 16:35

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?

OP posts:
blinkineckmum · 22/10/2016 00:28

I agree Lois.

TheFlyingFauxPas · 22/10/2016 00:39

I hate to see it. Once I saw a kid do it and his mum yelled, "No Bratly! (or whatever his name was) Not with that icecream in your hand!
Confused

PickledCauliflower · 22/10/2016 00:45

Even if the pigeons don't care - it's not pleasant to have them dive bombing your head because a toddler has chased them. I just don't think there is any need for it.

Twofurrycats · 22/10/2016 01:47

I have a phobia of birds particularly pigeons. They know this and home in on me. It's sods law that children always seem to chase them at me not away.
Can't remember who said pigeons have deformed/missing feet due to bread - I thought it was because they shit on the ledges where they sleep and something (urea?) Rots their claws off?

SylvieB74 · 22/10/2016 02:01

Get your kids to chase them and then this dreadful situation which you often find yourself in will be reversed

FlorisApple · 22/10/2016 02:04

I agree with you OP. I hate seeing kids doing this, and my kids see them, and naturally think it's something fun to do. But I think it's not teaching kindness to animals and is really related to other cruelty I have seen. When I was a child, for instance, I was visiting Trafalgar Sq and saw a little boy who had caught a pigeon by the wing and was swinging it around. The parents were just letting him do it. Me and my brother were horrified. I have also recently been at the zoo and seen school kids on excursion chasing peacocks and pulling out their tail feathers (I told them off and reported this to the school) and ; the teachers were nowhere to be seen). As a child, I remember other kids catching fish in rock pools and throwing them around or stomping on them. Parents need to teach their kids to be considerate to animals as well as humans. Of course chasing pigeons is not the worst thing in the world, but it's not a great thing to encourage either.

FlorisApple · 22/10/2016 02:07

Oh, have also seen small children throwing stones at signets while their parents stood by, and another recently of boys scaring an endangered bat colony from trees, again, their mothers were standing nearby, and their were signs about not disturbing the colony Confused

WiMoChi · 22/10/2016 06:10

A pigeon flew into my head once and knocked me over because an adult chucked some seeds down. I survived. As did the pigeon. As did the woman who gave it seed.

I got over it.

I'd totally let my child run into a flock of pigeons and I'd relish in her delight at them flying up and around her. Birds fly when spooked, or want to be elsewhere. They like flying.

I do not let her chase ducks. Or sheep. Etc. I teach her to be kind to our pets.

NotYoda · 22/10/2016 06:36

*WiMo8

I don't think inconsistency is helpful

You have acknowledged they are |"spooked". So let your children watch birds from afar, rather than scaring them

Ducks also fly when they are "spooked, or want to be somewhere". Why not chase them?

PenelopeFlintstone · 22/10/2016 07:27

A fella I know was walking along Regent Street with a friend many years ago. There were a lot of pigeons and they suddenly flew up in the direction of the friends, and the beak of one pigeon went straight into the neck of one boy leaving a puncture wound!!

reallyanotherone · 22/10/2016 07:36

I don't allow it.

Don't particularly like pigeons, but have seen children exhibit the same behaviour with swans, ducks, etc. Even if they're vermin, they should be treated humanely- we have banned chasing foxes after all.

Just don't let them chase animals. It might be fun to chase pigeons, but swans are big fuckers and can do some real damage, especially with cygnets about.

VladimirsPooTin · 22/10/2016 09:21

People who let their children chase birds are stupid and no doubt have badly behaved children with no empathy. But they will smirk at that comment (because they are stupid with no empathy). It really is true that you can't reason with idiots.

RhiWrites · 22/10/2016 09:25

I've never seen a pigeon fly into a person. It must be bloody rare that they ever actually connect.

blinkineckmum · 22/10/2016 09:27

Could it just be children and animals interacting? The child runs, the birds fly up and down again. Like throwing a stick for a dog.

anaemicenglishtea · 22/10/2016 09:32

Get a life op

WiMoChi · 22/10/2016 09:32

I think many people on here need a Snickers 😂

Oysterbabe · 22/10/2016 09:37

Yanbu. Parents should not allow their children to chase animals.

Original poster
yesterdaysunshine · 22/10/2016 09:39

It is rare because normally they both move but it's still quite - not sure of the word - alarming as although they don't make contact they do come close. It certainly scared my DD (2 and a half) yesterday a scare.

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 22/10/2016 09:43

it's just not nice to let kids chase pigeons or any other creature. Don't we want our children to grow up with kindness and compassion? deliberately scaring things teaches neither of those ideals.

neonrainbow · 22/10/2016 09:53

Now we know who those bratty little gits who chase pigeons belong to then. Hmm

I don't see why is over reacting to not want to see animals and birds being chased. I always hope that i get to see a kid that's chasing birds gets their comeuppance one day. I've yet to see it happen sadly. Like a seagull turning on them or pigeons shitting on them.

I like birds more than i like strangers children. Smile

cherryplumbanana · 22/10/2016 09:56

Kids around me learn how to shoot pigeons when they are older, not when they are toddlers. They obviously cannot do this in town or anywhere near other people because they are taught by responsible adults. I am sure that would go well with some of the posters here Grin

I do love how people moaning about pigeons being upset are comfortable walking past a human being sleeping rough on the street. My kids are taught empathy and kindness by being involved in soup kitchens and similar projects from a young age. I wonder if someone will suggest serving pigeons at the next meeting.

kali110 · 22/10/2016 09:59

*i've had a go at parents before who've encouraged their kids to do this. What are you teaching your kids in regards to animals?
Birds don't matter?
fatpandaIf i saw you doing this to cats in my street you would not be doing it again.
You're actually trusted to look after a person's children? i wouldn't want you anywhere near any kid i knew Confused

NoahVale · 22/10/2016 10:04

i allow it and find it amusing. they are vermin. they fly away, they land somewhere else. seagulls and pigeons that is. not ducks or rabbits

Blu · 22/10/2016 10:11

A nanny who bares her teeth and growls at children who chase pigeons! ShockGrin

OhYouBadBadKitten · 22/10/2016 10:14

cherry, I can care about not chasing animals for the fun of it AND the homeless you know. What a funny assumption that you make of people.