Thursday, March 08, 2012

Rampaging flock of peacocks face firing squad of water pistols

Villagers have declared war on a flock of rampaging peacocks. Up to eight of the birds are causing havoc in flower beds and vegetable plots. Now residents have armed themselves with water pistols and super-soaker rifles to fight them off.



It’s thought they are living in dense woodland near Gargunnock, Stirlingshire, after a breeding pair escaped captivity. But efforts to track down their roost have been hampered because the birds – which are native to India – are expert at covering their tracks.

Community council chairman Douglas Coupethwaite said: “They are coming around all the gardens and one of the neighbours lost 26 cabbages last year. Another problem is droppings – and the noise in the mating season.”


YouTube link.

Even the Scottish SPCA have conceded defeat. Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said: “These birds are very difficult to catch and, unless sick or injured, our advice is that they should be left alone.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Old people, many people, need to learn to live with animals. They aren't in our territory, we are in theirs.

Anonymous said...

Actually in this case it's the opposite. The peacocks are a non-native species that escaped and are damaging their locality.

Anonymous said...

Why doesn't someone just claim ownership and round them up whether its true or not?

Anonymous said...

Was the reporters name really Julie Peacock? Please say I didn't mishear!

Shak said...

I heard it, also, anon. Maybe she spells it differently?

Barbwire said...

There are quite a few wild peacocks on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California. I can attest that they make huge messes, and their calls sound like someone is torturing a very large baby.