LilMsFoodie, your story is ever so much more charming than mine. A number of years ago I was on the beach on Sanibel, lying peacefully on my back enjoying the sun, when a huge pelican passed over me and hit me dead on -- I was spattered from my waist right up my chest and across my face. Think about the diet of a pelican and you'll have a rough idea what that smelled like.

I have two woodpeckers that come every spring, they used to peck at their reflection on my windows. At first I thought it was cute, but after a few days of almost non-stop pecking from dawn til dusk I had to do something. After serveral failed attemps at different solutions...I put rubber snakes on my windows. Three years later the woodpeckers still come but don't peck on the windows anymore. Also have a very nice family of tunnel owls in the front yard.

LOL...poor Patrick!! LOL

Oh my goodness. I can tell a lot of fodorites are bird lovers. I'm scared to death of birds. My hubby thinks I'm funny. I know I get on his nerves when I jump whenever a bird comes around. He's not afraid of the birds like me. I run from the birds in Disney. Those big white birds. They even attack you while your eating. I've always been afraid of birds my entire life. Maybe it was from Hitchcocks movie "The Birds". I know they are harmless, but I just don't like them. Sorry instead of flamingos, I meant pelicans, spoonbills, egrets all those tall exotic looking birds. Honestly, I don't like any birds, but the tall ones look even scarier. I just don't want to be sitting on the beach in Sanibel and next thing you know one of those birds walk up next to me.

Unless you've been sitting having a picnic in Australia and been attacked by 6 or 7 foot tall ostriches, please don't talk to me about bird attacks!!

I love birds and I have never had the pleasure of having one walk up to me.
They are not as fond of people as we are of them, they generally walk the other way-unless you are tempting them with something they love to eat and I doubt that you will be doing that.

I've been going to beaches all my life and never has a bird of any size approached me. I have approached birds with my camera and only the woodstock allowed me to get so close. I still could not have touched him however and would never do so.

I've been to Disney many times and can not imagine the large birds you mention unless you are thinking of gulls which I do not consider large at all.

Your phobia (I think you have one) is not funny and it can interfere with your enjoyment of travel. Rather than avoid places attractive to birds (they like places most people like) you might want to get a consultation on the phobia with a professional (MSW or somesuch) or try a Bach Flower remedy for known fears: I think it's Mimulus. Google it.

Best wishes, LilMsFoodie

Edit: make that wood stork, not snoopy's friend. LMF

I think the birdies just know I'm afraid of them. I swear when we go place that have outdoor restaurants, they walk right by my chair. I dislike when people feed them. Especially in Hawaii, people love feeding the birds in the outdoor restaurants. They fly or walk right past my chair all the time. It gets annoying. Even those white seagulls in Disney. Heaven for bid you eat outdoors. Watch out!

Janny, I agree with LMsFoodie that you should at least look into your phobia. I hope it works out for you!

BTW, I can't get birds to come near me either.

I think you are thinking of pigeons which are pretty much rats with wings. Scavengers.

Janny, you would hate Montauk NY. We used to sit outside at a place called Gossmans Dock and the seagulls would sit on the railing of the dock, right next to us while we ate, fighting each other over our scraps..if you fed one of them, they would swarm all over the table!
My children learned about that the hard way.

Janny, my daughter got spooked once by geese and she has been afraid of big birds ever since. She had them hiss at her and rush towards her, so that she had to run off. Geese (and some other large birds who are territorial, but certainly not all birds)can behave like that soemtimes, and as tough as she is, this spooked her big time. We have parakeets that she takes care of, that is not the same, she has no problem w/them or smaller birds outside.

I steer clear of both geese and swans. They can be very mean.

I know I have a bad phobia.(ughhh!) But I have friends who are terrified of bugs and cats. I LOVE Cats. I'm also not afraid of spiders or any insects. I'll take a bug or spider in a minute versus a bird. Crazy isn't it. Another friend I work with told me I would never make it in the vatican. She said the pigeons swarm right around your feet. She doesn't have to worry, because I'll never go there.

Great! I will send you the spiders and you send me your birds :)

Pigeons- "Rats With Wings", how true. Go Travel you make me laugh. Try driving down Daytona Beach and throwing pieces of bread off the tailgate of the car... Talk about "A Flock Of Seagulls".