Kid told to go and chase the birds

[GOODCAT]

I don't have kids, but was at the coast this morning when I overheard an adult, presume mum, tell a young girl to go and chase the birds, said in a way that meant she was to go and entertain herself by doing this.

My own parents would have told me off for this and to be kind to other living creatures.

It always annoys me when I see kids chasing birds and their parents saying nothing, but to actively encourage a kid to do so is a first.

AIBU to find it sad that this kid was being encouraged to chase birds for no other purpose than her own entertainment.

@Greenrubber

Dogs like to be chased and chase there's just one example most predatory animals like to chase Birds have a very good advantage of being able to fly and according to your article have great eyesight which it's probably why a child could never catch a bird and the birds flys off before they even get close

They would be scared if they couldn't fly or get away but they always have an escape route
Its a non issue in a world of proper problems I wish you would all put your energy into something that actually makes a difference in the world

Predatory animals, especially young ones, like to be chased by familiar young animals of the same species. It's a form of play which prepares them for hunting.

Pigeons are not predatory animals.

I'm still waiting for the evidence to show that birds enjoy being chased by humans.

I said some like to be chased

Have you never seen a bird tease a dog or cat in order to get a reaction?

They would be scared if they couldn't fly or get away but they always have an escape route

@Greenrubber but you said they're having fun - why do they need an escape route?
Clearly they are scared and flying away in fear and you know that.

Weird that you're still trying to convince yourself pigeons find being chased fun when it's clear that you know logically that they don't

@Greenrubber

I said some like to be chased

Have you never seen a bird tease a dog or cat in order to get a reaction?

Out of interest - what's your opinion based on? It's clearly not science, evolution or evidence?

It's it immense self-belief? Or just bored goadiness?

I think @Greenrubber is on the wind up and I don't believe for one second she is a vegan.

I think pigeons are not terrified when a child chases them

You can't even sneak up on a pigeon if you tried! They know the kids are there and fly away it doesn't harm them

@waltzingbetty

I've seen birds tease dogs and cats with my own eyes so I can't believe that they are as terrified as everyone on this thread makes out

[quote Greenrubber]@waltzingbetty

I've seen birds tease dogs and cats with my own eyes so I can't believe that they are as terrified as everyone on this thread makes out[/quote]
Oh well i guess we'll just take your word for it then...
That definitely disproves evolution, science and common sense.

Odd though isn't it that these chase-loving prey birds fly away - do you think they expect the dogs, cats and children to fly after them?

I'd think that since they love being chased so much they'd just stay on the ground

@CherryPlumCrow

I think *@Greenrubber* is on the wind up and I don't believe for one second she is a vegan.

Yep. Bizarre isn't it what some folk class as fun 

I'm off to interact with actual friends in real life so I'll leave @Greenrubber to keep pushing her pigeon-chasing-fun analogy
I suspect it's a metaphor for her behaviour on this thread

picking daisies
As in the tiny ones that grow everywhere? Wow. No making daisychains?
What about dandelions to blow?
Bit much

[quote Greenrubber]@waltzingbetty

I've seen birds tease dogs and cats with my own eyes so I can't believe that they are as terrified as everyone on this thread makes out[/quote]
I've seen other animals do all manner of things.
Doesn't mean I'd let my children do them.

Of course you don't have to believe anything I say
I'm not asking any of you to

I'm simple saying I don't find it cruel and you won't change my mind just like I can't change any of yours

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion apart from on this thread it seems

I'm still surprised by the amount of people who think this is animal cruelty!

But we have all had enough time wasted today which we won't get back

@FlyingBattie

I agree

@MysweetAudrina

My cat stalks birds, should I tell her to stop?

Actually, yes; cats pose a much greater risk to wildlife than children, it seems (bearing in mind they are domesticated and it's our choice to keep them):

www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

She probably won't listen to you though...

I assume all those that think it is cruel for a child to chase a bird are vegetarians, or only eat livestock they have raised themselves? If not, you are either a hypocrite or deluded regarding the conditions most livestock live in.

I say that as someone who allows her toddler to chase ducks! But I do promote kindness to other humans...which I find some animal lovers are lacking in.

@BraveBraveMouse

I assume all those that think it is cruel for a child to chase a bird are vegetarians, or only eat livestock they have raised themselves? If not, you are either a hypocrite or deluded regarding the conditions most livestock live in.

I say that as someone who allows her toddler to chase ducks! But I do promote kindness to other humans...which I find some animal lovers are lacking in.

So if someone feeds their child meat then they shouldn't teach them to have any respect for animals at all because that would make them a hypocrite?

'No Ottilie, you can't feed the ducks, in fact, you had better kick it because you had chicken nuggets last night and I don't want people thinking I'm a deluded hypocrite'

Also, just because someone thinks that it's wrong to chase birds for a laugh, doesn't mean they don't care about humans. HTH

I eat meat sometimes
I don’t chase the animal first to frighten it though and I would never frighten an animal for entertainment

@shinyblackdog

Did you actually read the link you posted?
Despite the large numbers of birds killed by cats in gardens, there is no clear scientific evidence that such mortality is causing bird populations to decline. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds.

@BraveBraveMouse

I assume all those that think it is cruel for a child to chase a bird are vegetarians, or only eat livestock they have raised themselves? If not, you are either a hypocrite or deluded regarding the conditions most livestock live in.

I say that as someone who allows her toddler to chase ducks! But I do promote kindness to other humans...which I find some animal lovers are lacking in.

I'm going to assume you typed that without actually thinking about it.

If you think meat consumption is the same as encouraging your child to scare animals for entertainment you probably need to rethink your argument.

I say that as a vegetarian

I think it's wrong to chase birds and it was something I always told ds off for when he was a small child.

And I definitely wouldn't recommend chasing seagulls as they can chase back! Or swans or geese.

And I am not convinced by the idea that cats are responsible for the declining bird population. Other birds and humans have a lot more to do with it. Cats are too well fed and slow.

[quote WaltzingBetty]@shinyblackdog

Did you actually read the link you posted?
Despite the large numbers of birds killed by cats in gardens, there is no clear scientific evidence that such mortality is causing bird populations to decline. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds.[/quote]
Yes I did. I was thinking about the weak and sickly birds. Probably not a lot of fun for them being mauled to their final end by a cat.

Got a cat have you?

@shinyblackdog I think I'd choose a relatively brief mailing by a predator than a lingering death by starvation.
Regardless my choice in that situation is irrelevant to this actual discussion which is about encouraging animal cruelty in children.

I don't think we should take the instinctive behaviour of animals as a moral baseline for human society

I assume all those that think it is cruel for a child to chase a bird are vegetarians, or only eat livestock they have raised themselves? If not, you are either a hypocrite or deluded regarding the conditions most livestock live in.

The old 'you eat meat so you can't be kind to animals and must torture them/teach your children to harass them or else you're hypocrite argument'
Yawn.

I would advise everyone and anyone to avoid this thread it's totally pointless

If you are a parent who allows your child to chase a bird then you are apparently a shit twattish parent who is teaching their child to be cruel and torture animals

Even when a child has no way of getting close to the bird in the first place

If the birds did get a fright apparently this is as bad as killing other living things (stamping on bugs for example) and of course your a terrible person

When you point out the hypocrisy that anyone who eats animals and dairy participate in actual animal cruelty and they know it and also leads to the murder of the animal which include birds by the way apparently this doesn't register with them and its not an appropriate argument

So to wrap it up I'm a shit parent because I choose not to kill animals and you are all great parents because you choose to kill animals but don't let your kids chase birds

🤦‍♀️ And I'm the deluded one 👍