Pigeons
 

I'm wondering if anyone has the same problem as me, and if there are specific cities I really should avoid. I am phobic about birds, especially tame ones such as pigeons, chickens, etc. Am working on desensitizing myself where birds are concerned, but still have quite a ways to go. I took my first trip last May to Portugal, spent some days in Lisbon and in spite of pigeons was able to enjoy myself. Except for Lisbon, birds really weren't any more of an issue than in Canada where I live. Portugal was awesome. However, I've been told that many European cities are a great deal worse e.g. London, Rome, etc. Does anybody who travels share my phobia, and if so, are there any areas where you have been truly miserable because of birds? (Am tentatively considering the Cotswolds, Tuscany, Provence for a walking holiday next year). Any thoughts in this regard would be much appreciated. I really enjoy reading the messages and reports that others have posted.

They are no pigeons in most Provençal villages , nor will you see many chickens.

There are chickens and water fowl in the Cotswolds, but not everywhere you go. Any Cotswolds town on water is likely to have ducks, geese, swans or a combination of all three floating around. Stick to the dry towns, and avoid farmyards, and you should be ok.

Birds aren't a huge issue in Tuscany. There are some chickens in smaller towns, but they are mostly in farmyards, and shouldn't be anywhere near you. The Campo in Siena and the Piazza del Duomo get a little pigeon action, but nothing like Piazza San Marco in Venice. I've been to Rome a lot but don't remember any great amounts of birds.

I have a phobia that sucks, too. I absolutely can't bear to be in a car on a bridge, highway, or some sort of decking that is really high above water with low or no walls. AAARRGH! Weidly, the phobia only started to take off within the last 10 years or so. The Lion's Gate Bridge in Vacouver BC just did me in; I wanted to get out of the car and crawl across. Up until then, I had no idea how awful a phobia could be. You have my sympathy.

Wow. Don't ever, ever visit the Dordogne. I think the places you have earmarked will be ok a long as you stick to fairly urban areas - except there are pigeons in just about every square I've ever been in. Good luck, and if it helps, birds are fabulous creatures. I guess it probably doesn't, though, for someone with a phobia.

I had an old friend from college who was absolutely phobic about birds. She would asked people to walk ahead of her and shoo them out of the way, if there were birds on the path. You might not like Venice.

I used to fear spiders so much that one could hold me hostage in another room if it were in a hallway and I wanted to get past it.

After reading StCirq's post I thought I'd add... if it helps.
I conquered my fear of spiders by reminding myself how much good they do by eating flies, mosquitos and other creepy crawlies that I don't appreciate fully. Now, I have realized that spiders are much more afraid of me then I could ever be of them.

I'm a little phobic about birds too. Just watch out for Piazza San Marco in Venice and Trafalger Square in London! Otherwise, you will probably be OK.

Oh yes, there was the time we were walking to the U-Bahn in the early morning in Munich when a pigeon apparently died in mid-flight and fell out of the air, landing at my husband's feet.

Oh, Betsy and I thought th~e pigeon that shat on my friend's head was bad~~~~

Don't worry about Trafalgar Square, they've almost all gone.

You would hate St. Mark's Square in Venice - they are everywhere. There are also a lot in Trafalgar Square but no where near as many as Venice. Can't remember seeing many in Rome. The places you mention should all be OK. I can't walk across bridges (unless they are over water!) so I too sympathize. Bridges across motorways are completely out but I can cross a bridge in a car!
Good luck,
Carolina

What ever fear one has does cause a problem. I do not like to be in a car when the driver drives really close to a high cliff..which my father and then my late DH would do. I would dig my nails into the palms of my hands I would be so scared.

I also do not like bridges without high railings. The Benicia/Martinez Bridge that goes across the Carquinez Straight (I-680)CA is like that and I absolutely hate to be on that bridge which I was constantly when I lived in Benicia. When I found out several fellows also freaked out about the the bridge it almost helped me.

And don't mention moths. I totally freak out if a moth is in a room with me. And yet I love butterflies and have no problems with spiders at all.

And Pigeons, I normally don't have a problem but the pigeons in Piazza San Marco in Venice have become terrible IMO. Very disgusting. And yet I love birds in general. But not those pigeons, LOL. Best wishes to you donnabee.

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Don't worry about Trafalgar Square, they've almost all gone.
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not at all true. there are control measures in place but they are a joke. i walk through there just about once a week and i don't see the problem getting any better as compared to several years ago.

You may want to avoid Venice, or at least avoid St. Mark's square when there. I love birds and love Venice, but the pigeons there were really too too much.

Hi donnabee,

Stay away from Notre Damein Paris.

People actually buy bags of pigeon food.

((I))

Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to reply to my concerns re birds. It seems that if I avoid two or three main cities (or at least the main squares in Venice, Paris and London), I needn't be too anxious about run ins with overly tame pigeons, etc. To tuscanlifeedit: we had actually been considering a walking tour in the Cotswolds and you indicate that there is a lot of waterfowl in this region. Are these birds very tame, and do a lot of people feed them? Is this perhaps not the best area to be thinking about?

Does anyone else think this is a little strange?? Is she putting us on?

yes

Cat Fancier: Maybe yes, maybe no. But it doesn't kill us to answer the question seriously. I've heard of many MUCH stranger phobias that this, and a fear of flocks of tame birds that make bodily contact with humans doesn't sound so odd to me. I also think there are good, rational health reasons to steer clear of the huge flocks of overly "friendly" pigeons in Piazza San Marco.

Okay I'll admit to being one of the idiots who bought seed to feed the pigeons in Piazza San Marco.

Though some may find this posting strange, the fear is quite understandable. The pigoens in Venice were quite agressive and should be avoided by the tame of heart.

Now that I think about it, the pigeons in Paris recently DID seem a bit fearless when it came to humans. They would fly very close and thought they were going to hit me a couple of times. That said, I was sorry not to have bird seed when I saw someone feeding them in Notre Dame square.

Will personally check out the aggressive St. Mark's Square pigeons when we go to Venice, hopefully next year!