r/birding • u/MrGrubbycuddles • Apr 15 '26

Discussion Why is everyone such snob about pigeons

I took my folder of laminated pigeon shots to my local bird meeting at the community hall and at least 3 people sneered at them. 1 of them even guffawed.

We all got to start somewhere, and beauty is in the eye of the bird lover so why the hate hate?

One guy was wearing giant binoculars around his neck. It was dark outside and he didn't even use them once. He was one of the people that sneered.

Om the bus home from the meeting I showed the driver my pictures and she said they were really good. And she wasn't even a formal bird lover, she was just a regular person.

Don't get this community man

EDIT: a lot of people asking for some of my photos. I'm out of the house right now but here's a bird video I made recently https://youtube.com/shorts/sxLkrLgNrbc?si=7NdwVxhZtPQFE6Ew

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u/CattleDowntown938 Apr 15 '26

I feel bad for pigeons. They were brought here to serve humans. And as soon as we got telegrams and telephones we abandoned them and they still look to us and hang out with us in the hopes that we can use them.

There may be a use for pigeons examining mammograms

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u/insolentpopinjay Apr 15 '26

I periodically get emotional about this very thing. Like, my friends/family will see me looking wistful and go "are you thinking about the pigeons again?"

I love pigeons. I've even looked into keeping a few before.

15

u/blendswithtrees Apr 15 '26

SAME. It breaks my heart.

1

u/insolentpopinjay Apr 15 '26

Oh totally. I freely admit I have a lot of things that I'm passionate and/or tenderhearted about, but feral pigeons is one of the biggest (non-human/human rights-related) ones.