Small children chasing pigeons in the park - harmless or mean?

Well, it's mixed messages, isn't it!

No seagulls are not scavengers we have made them hungry we have overfished the seas, my town has gone from a busy fishing town with the gulls following the boats, to a town with no fishing boats at all So the gulls are hungry and then customs have changed as a child and young person we NEVER ate in the street it was considered very poor manners you had your three meals at the table at home Now everyone eats on the hoof and wonders why their food gets pinched by clever gulls who would much prefer fish to chips
And we not only eat on the hoof but many don’t bother to use bins when they ve finished
Gulls of all kinds are on the endangered list
Humans are dirty not gulls

I wasn't eating on the hoof, I was carrying my lunch in a paper bag.
And there it was - gone!!
People often eat icecreams in the street.

I take your point about over-fishing.

Time flies. I remember DGD2 being frightened and upset after being attacked by a seagull on our local beach. I wrote her this limerick to cheer her up:

There was a young seagull called Rasta,
Who chased kids to make them run fasta,
So they threw him a chip,
It got stuck in his (beak) lip,
And he now prefers haddock with pasta!

It’s a good job some of you don’t live near me or you would presumably have been horrified to see me clapping my hands and chasing pigeons off our lawn where we have put grass seed down!

The blasted things fly up in the trees and then a few minutes later, back they come.

I think we are going to admit defeat and put turf down.

So butterandjam your children know it’s OK to chase birds when you say so?
That’s a bit weird.

Aren't pigeons flying rats, or is that just in cities?

I’m terrified of any birds flying near me. I think it goes back to my childhood when my gran had a budgie that used to fly into my head when the cage was being cleaned. I tend to freeze when birds are flying near me, therefore I don’t let my DGD chase the birds when we’re in the garden. When we were in Dubrovnik recently we sat down and a little girl started chasing the birds, I was completely frozen, so much so her father told her not to do it.

Yes - I agree with your daughter - your granddaughter should have been stopped from chasing the birds - if she’s not checked - she will think it’s OK to scare animals and maybe eventually it could lead to bullying. At 2 years old I’m sure she meant no real harm - but it’s best she learns sooner rather than later - that it’s much nicer to be kind! and it was a good opportunity to talk to her about why it wasn’t a nice thing to do!

Agree ith most of what jas been said here. Chasing anything is terrific fun for small childrem.

Remember, it may be the. first time they may have seen someething.

Back in the day. Mommy Deatest always gave me a short, kind, sensible view on why l should not do ssomething. I smnow 70.

She also gave me the respect and space to ask questions.

So maybe this approch will work for you.

Hope this helpful.

Should we all be screeching to a halt in our cars when a pigeon waddles in the road so the poor thing isn't frightened and has to fly off?! I can't believe some of the responses on here and yes my little grandson runs after pigeons in the park and they fly off to probably poop on someones windows.

I would have discouraged it. I don’t like to see children trying to scare pigeons. I would much prefer to see them setting a better example.

It depends how much you value living creatures Diplomat and yes I would always stop for wildlife on the road if it was safe to do so. We get a lot of squirrels and pheasants and most people try to avoid them.

Mean. The forgiving element is that children need educating. This was your opportunity to give her the information to let her know what is the decent and kind thing to do. The problem appears to be that you do not recognise that causing fear or pain to sentient, living creatures just for fun is wrong , regardless of who is doing it.

No, it's not gentle, it's nasty the pidgeons dont now why they are being chased and wildlife was here way before humans.

Well, I would never allow a child to chase pigeons or any other birds, even although it is perfectly true that the birds can just fly away.

I would also prevent a dog from chasing pigeons, and both dogs and children from chasing cats, hares, squirrels etc.

Surely, when you take a child anywhere, you are supposed to supervise said child's behaviour, and part of doing so, is stopping inconsiderate behaviour.

I am not sure whether OP knew her daughter would disapprove of the child being allowed to chase birds. If she did, she most assuredly is in the wrong. However daft we may find our childrens' rules for their children, it is wrong to allow the child to do things her parents don't allow.

Diplomat

Should we all be screeching to a halt in our cars when a pigeon waddles in the road so the poor thing isn't frightened and has to fly off?! I can't believe some of the responses on here and yes my little grandson runs after pigeons in the park and they fly off to probably poop on someones windows.

Better not screech to a halt unless you’re certain the road behind is clear.
The pigeon would most likely have flown away by the time you’ve exchanged insurance details or called an ambulance for the people in the car behind you.

Oh dear, every time I see this thread I hear Tom Lehrer singing:

"Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" 🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵

Before anyone shouts at me, Tom Lehrer was a satirist.

Tom Lehrer's famous song "Poisoning Pigeons In The Park" was inspired by the City of Boston doing exactly that. The city spread strychnine-laced corn in its public parks to reduce the pigeon population

Is, sorry, not ^was*
He's 97!!

I agree with your daughter. Stressful for the wildlife and unnecessarily extends their precious energy reserves.

I watched part of a documentary about pigeons last night. Pigeons actually recognise peoples faces and remember people that are nasty to them. Not sure what my local pigeons think of me. I do shoo them off when they pounce on the food I put out for the smaller birds, but I also put water out for all of them ( which the pigeons poo in, along with pooing all over my patio and car). Given that they regard my garden as some kind of utopia I don’t think that any amount of shooing will make them move away. I do remember getting annoyed with some children chasing the pigeons that used to congregate round the fountain in Birmingham; I was quite young myself at the time and thought it was cruel of them. A child that thinks it’s ok to run at and chase pigeons might do the same to ground nesting birds etc. I don’t think a child should be scolded; just have it explained to them that what they’re doing isn’t very nice. I’ve looked at pigeons in a different way since reading one of Bill Baileys books in which he points out that pigeons are the most wonderful aerial acrobats. Much as I get angry with them for pooing all over my garden I do get upset to occasionally find that something has killed one of them and it’s mate is left alone. We do have a bit of a love hate relationship.

Pigeons visit my garden, frequently. Never have to chase them as soon as I srep outsude, open a window they're off. This morning one must have been on the ground so close to the house that when I did open a window the creature upped and flew into the window. Full splatter, fell to ground but was off in a few seconds. Had to wipe the imprint off the window.

I think it's stretching things a bit to assume that a 2 year old chasing pigeons is likely to grow up to chase or mistreat birds and other wildlife. Think of the other crazy things that 2 year olds do - put random objects in their mouths, draw on the walls, have a tantrum in the supermarket... Do you honestly think they'll keep doing those things when they're older? So why shouldn't they grow out of chasing anything that moves, including pigeons?

Pigeons actually recognise peoples faces and remember people that are nasty to them.
Ours don't.

If they were sitting right outside the bedroom window and cooing away at 4.30am, I have been known to keep a jug of water handy. The water has never actually contacted one because they fly away too quickly.

Report me to the RSPCA if you wish 😀

You in the generic sense, not you to anyone in particular, Maybee.

I fill the bird bath, the pigeons use it then turn and poo in it.

I definitely would have explained that chasing any bird or animal is unkind. When I was brought up in London I was taught that if you want to see/feed any bird then stand still and it will come to you.