It's looking like they're here to stay...

Peacocks, generally juvenile males recently kicked out of their family's nests, used to pay us brief visits on an infrequent basis on their way to settle in more peafowl-friendly areas.  Last year, a single peacock and a few peahens unexpectedly moved into the neighborhood to raise a brood.  They disappeared during the latter part of the year but they're back...

Mr Peacock knows how to strike a pose

I was surprised to see him at this particular home because the residents have 3 large dogs, all Rottweilers I believe

He travels fast on foot along the road when someone with a camera is following him

I caught him in action showing off for his harem at another house

His peahens generally stick close by and come when he calls them

The peafowl appear ready to settle in and produce another generation.  Although local regulations prohibit feeding the birds and the city may trap and relocate them if they become a serious problem in a particular area, the emphasis is on discouraging their visits where they're not wanted using deterrents and exercising care in selecting plants.  However, they can be threatened by non-human predators.  On Tuesday I woke up at 4am to the howls of what sounded like a pack of nearby coyotes.  Based on their cries, their hunting activity continued well past 6am.  Fortunately for the peacocks and peahens, both can fly.  They reportedly prefer to walk and generally fly only to escape danger.  According to one source, they can fly up to ten miles per hour for distances up to a mile.  They're also good jumpers and can reach heights of twenty-six feet to nest in trees.  In our neighborhood, they seem to prefer tall pine trees.  Luckily, my husband and don't have any pine trees.  The neighbors behind us do but they're thinned on a regular basis and probably less attractive that the fuller trees available elsewhere - or so I can hope.

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