{"id":269282,"date":"2026-05-13T11:09:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T11:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/269282\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T11:09:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T11:09:21","slug":"gulfports-growing-peacock-population-is-colorful-but-controversial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/269282\/","title":{"rendered":"Gulfport\u2019s growing peacock population is colorful but controversial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some say they add beauty to the neighborhood, while others are tired of the colorful birds destroying cars, gardens and pool screens.<\/p>\n

GULFPORT, Fla. \u2014 What started as a pair of peacocks roaming parts of Gulfport has now grown into what some neighbors describe as a full-blown colony, sparking both admiration and concern across the quirky waterfront community.<\/p>\n

Residents say dozens of peacocks can now regularly be seen wandering streets, perching in trees, standing on rooftops and strolling through yards in several neighborhoods.<\/p>\n


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\n Gulfport\u2019s growing peacock population is colorful but controversial
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\u201cThey’re gorgeous, and they keep to themselves for the most part,\u201d neighbor John Nixon said.<\/p>\n

Others say the birds have become part of Gulfport\u2019s personality and charm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see people stopping all the time to take pictures of them,\u201d resident Marian East said. \u201cI think they make a lot of people’s day, kind of, just fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

East described the colorful birds as peaceful and said they add beauty to the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Still, not everyone is embracing the growing flock.<\/p>\n

Residents recently brought concerns about the birds before the Gulfport City Council, warning the population could become increasingly disruptive if left unchecked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are a huge problem,\u201d neighbor Berkeley Grimble said. \u201cThey wake us up at 5 o\u2019clock in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grimble said the peacocks can damage gardens, vehicles and pool enclosures.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can peck your cars. They can jump on top of your cars,\u201d he said. \u201cIf they land on your pool screen, they will completely destroy it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others worry the flock could continue multiplying rapidly in the coming years if no action is taken.<\/p>\n

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials classify peafowl as nonnative, domestic-feral birds that have become established in communities across the state after escaping captivity or being released.<\/p>\n

While the birds are not protected statewide like native wildlife, FWC says local governments may adopt ordinances regulating how they are handled.<\/p>\n

For now, Gulfport city leaders have not taken official action regarding the birds.<\/p>\n

FWC recommends residents first try nonlethal deterrents before considering removal. Suggested strategies include removing attractants like pet food and bird feeders, covering reflective surfaces on cars and windows and using deterrents such as hoses or motion-activated sprinklers to scare the birds away.<\/p>\n

Wildlife officials also warn residents not to feed peacocks because it can attract larger flocks and worsen nuisance issues.<\/p>\n

Some Gulfport residents argue the city should embrace the birds rather than push them out.<\/p>\n

\u201cGulfport is an arts community \u2014 one that celebrates color, expression and the unexpected,\u201d resident Brad Brunner said. \u201cThe presence of the peacocks feels like a reflection of who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neighbor Rosemary Minton agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they’re magical,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re a wonderful addition to the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

FWC says homeowners may legally remove peafowl from private property within local laws, often through licensed nuisance wildlife trappers. Officials recommend residents check local ordinances and contact wildlife authorities for guidance before taking action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some say they add beauty to the neighborhood, while others are tired of the colorful birds destroying cars,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269283,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[202,204,203,199,201,200],"class_list":["post-269282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269282\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}