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.
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
He is quite handsome, I know they can be loud and annoying. Still, I'm glad the coyotes didn't attack this group.
ReplyDeleteThe peafowl have actually been quite quiet here - they make the most noise when calling to each other and, with what appears to be one tight family unit, they're together more often than not. That said, they can be destructive to gardens if you grow plants they like. Heaven help anyone who wants a vegetable garden!
Delete"the emphasis is on discouraging their visits where they're not wanted using deterrents and exercising care in selecting plants"... you mention pines, but what other plants are deterrents, do you know? (btw, your headline immediately had me thinking of Musk and his young team of "hit" men, gawd I hope they're not here to stay)
ReplyDeleteIf you click on the reference to "discouraging their visits," that should pop up a reference to the city's page on deterring peafowl, Loree. There's actually a fairly long list of plants they don't like, which includes things like Agapanthus, Cactus, Camellias, Cannas, Gaillardia, etc.
DeleteAs to the unobstructed actions of the Muskrat team, members of the GOP need to get a spine quick before the electorate starts firing them in droves. I'm registered as an independent but I feel nothing but scorn and revulsion for each and every member of that party at the moment. A single misstep in making owed payments should be sufficient to galvanize lawsuits right and left.
Lucky you! They certainly are beautiful and fascinating birds!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, yes. Messy and sometimes noisy also true ;)
DeleteI didn't realize they could fly/jump that high. They're pretty birds (easy to say from across the country). I beside myself at the news.
ReplyDeleteI'm not clear on the difference between flying and jumping, Susie - a jump of 26 feet sounds like flying to me but I guess different parts of the body are involved.
DeleteI was sick at heart after yesterday's newscasts and I remain appalled. I think members of the GOP are slitting their own throats in the long run but the harm that will be done in the short-term is terrible.
Beautiful to look at, but with all that noise, not sure I'd want one in my neighborhood. Luckily, it's too cold for them here! Eliza
ReplyDeleteThey've lived on the peninsula here for over 100 years so I guess the only surprise is that they waited so long to move into our neighborhood!
Delete