Some residents don’t get the appeal of peacocks in Wadeview Park

Wadeview Park is known by longtime locals for having a healthy population of roaming peacocks that make their way from lawn, to roof, to SUV. They’ve been there for decades and have become a fixture for the neighborhood, but some people are calling peafowl.

“I love seeing them in my yard but they can be a bit loud. And they shit everywhere.”

– BUNGALOWER READER

Peacocks have been prized for their innate alarm system as much as for their beautiful plumage for centuries, dating back to ancient Persia, where they were seen as living symbols of immortality, beauty, and were thought to protect against evil spirits. Modern-day farmers are starting to keep them with their chickens to guard against predators, and they have distance-carrying, monkey-like calls to sound off if strangers are around.

But not everyone loves being awoken by their rubber chicken-like trumpets and some people have been filing complaints with the City of Orlando. As a result, one peacock has already reportedly been removed from the area and moved to another neighborhood – we’re not sure why that one particular peacock was targeted, but we’re guessing it’s just because they were slow and in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Commissioner Patty Sheehan told FOX 35 that part of the problem is that neighbors are feeding the animals.

“Everybody’s feeding them, and the more you feed invasive wild animals, the more you’re going to have. We went from having 15 or 20 peacocks to having almost 100. So it’s not that big of a deal if they’re dispersed throughout the neighborhood, but they have tended to congregate into yards.”

– COMMISSIONER PATTY SHEEHAN

Sheehan has shared that there are no plans to cull the Wadeview flock, though they are looking to relocate some of them to other neighborhoods to help spread the love and lessen their impact on Wadeview Park.

The City of Orlando has stated previously that it does not have any official regulations regarding peafowl in city limits.