CASSELBERRY, Fla. — Residents in a Casselberry neighborhood say a growing population of peacocks has become a problem they can no longer ignore, with the birds damaging property, making noise and leaving droppings in yards and streets.
Tami Max says the peacocks have become a regular presence in the Lost Lake subdivision, where she has lived for about four years.
She says the birds turn up throughout the neighborhood and have even gotten trapped inside her pool enclosure.
“I just happened to look to my left, and I saw that a peacock had gotten trapped in our pool enclosure here. And that the screen enclosure up here was ripped,” Max said.
Max says the problem has happened multiple times, with repairs costing hundreds of dollars each time.
“We just can’t endure the cost to the property. Several of my neighbors and I have endured hundreds, if not thousands dollars of damage,” she said.
Max also says the peacocks are damaging parked vehicles.
She says the male birds peck at the paint, leaving deep marks that require repairs.
“You can see this really deep pit right here. And this one right here, where some sanding is going to need to take place, before I repaint or wrap it,” Max said.
But residents say their options are limited because Casselberry has a 2017 ordinance protecting the city’s peafowl.
The ordinance makes it unlawful to take, trap, hunt, harm, kill or otherwise interfere with the birds.
Casselberry City Manager Randy Newlon said the ordinance was created after residents asked the city to protect the peacocks.
“So, about nine years ago, the ordinance was adopted to create a bird sanctuary at the request of the majority of the residents where they live to protect the peacocks,” Newlon said.
Max and other residents planned to bring their concerns to city commissioners Monday evening, hoping the city can find a way to address the damage while keeping the birds safe.
Casselberry is not the only Central Florida community dealing with complaints about peacocks.
Orlando’s Wadeview Park has also faced a similar debate between residents who enjoy the birds and those who say they have become a nuisance.