A friend and I went to breakfast at a local diner this morning. When we left the restaurant, we saw this wild peacock sauntering by.
Wild peacocks are somewhat common here, because there were peacock farms at one time, and many got away. They are about the size of wild turkeys.
This one ran away from us and roosted on a nearby car. Peacocks can be aggressive, but this one was actually reasonably tame and let us get quite near. We saw no peahens nearby, so I'm assuming he's very lonely.
I checked with animal services, but peacocks/peahens are able to fly away, so no one will catch or try to relocate them.
We asked around, and found out that he'd always lived in a nearby mobile home park, but now the mobile home park is being demolished to make way for a new shopping mall.
Such is the price of "progress".
12 comments:
Those things are all over Miami too. People would buy them from farms, because they are "pretty". But after a short time the birds would either be let go or they would escape.
They are LOUD, messy, and destructive.
Loud. They can squak like nothing else on Earth. Every morning. It gets old fast.
Messy. They are large birds. You know how much mess a pigeon can make? Well multiply that by 100.
Destructive. That car the bird was on top of is in serious danger. The peacocks are heavy enough to push in the roof of a car. A few of them can cover a car in poop in a matter of a few hours to a day or two. Their claws damage paint.
I was once paid to capture some peacocks, stuff em in a small cargo van, drive them at least 20 miles away, then give em the boot. The birds objected. They can be mean.
Wow. We just have cockroaches around here. They're "endangered" so I can't kill them.
I just pressure them to relocate.
Wait a minute: Endangered cockroaches? How can this be?
"I checked with animal services, but peacocks/peahens are able to fly away, so no one will catch or try to relocate them."
It's the way it should be, they kind fend for themselves, mind you round our way - there's one or two who make so much noise, they may not make it thru Xmas day
For you are right they are regal, they are royal, but take the feathers away and a small xmas turkey I hear you say
Hope you don't think me cold, hold you don't think me cruel, but they are after all food for the wild fox or for me and you
Saur,
Excellent post.
Please note that I'm only temporarily stealing your format as a starting point. I lost my blog format when I converted.
They are lovely, though. Okay, do you really see a lot of these down there? And I've always wondered if you see pink flamingos down there too? Never ventured south on my last trip to the east coast.
There are some wild flamingos in Florida, but they are not considered "native". They are migratory part time residents. Kind of like Canadians :)
American Flamingos can be found year round in Central America and some Caribbean Nations.
We have Spoonbills, which are pink but have a beak very different from a flamingo. They live here year round.
But exotic wildlife is a major problem in Florida. The canals and lakes have been taken over by Talipia and other African species (all but displacing bass and sunfish). Large snakes are getting to be a common sight in the Everglades (the biggest thing in the glades are supposed to be gators). Parrots, macaws, and all sorts of South American birds fly around in flocks. Muscovy ducks are all over the place. Even the regal peacock is not supposed to be here.
And do not even get me started on exotic plants! Anyone who plants Brazilian Pepper needs to be shot.
That car looks like the stereotypical "Florida" car...well...old people car...heh...
And its white. The white cars are cooler. Oye.
I wonder what they taste like?
Honkie2, actually, they were a medieval delicacy. Quite nice, I'd expect. See my detailed explanation to Quasar below.
Suzie, ahhh, you got me. I just didn't want to be caught frontin'. I'm getting gold plated dishes soon, and I'm thinking about lining the windows with rhinestones.
Nihilistic & Lazy, yup! It's a classic old person's car, and very practical.
Lazy, thank you very much for explaining the environmental situation here. Great job! We agree 100%
Emma, no, just plastic ones on the front lawns. ;o)
Senor, I like it now, you recovered nicely!
Quasar, you're completely correct...they used to be a medieval delicacy, in fact, and would be roasted and then have all the feathers re-attached for decorative purposes. They would often be stuffed with a series of other birds, dwindling down to the smallest (a dove or partridge).
Matt, the only endangered cockroaches here are in danger from my poison.
Old Hoss, He was kidding? I hope?
Still, after all the cons, they are a pretty bird and a lift to the spirit.
I don't live next door to any, LOL!
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