Miami, Florida Provides Housing Resources To Peacocks

Coconut Grove is a Miami neighborhood that extends from Brickell Ave to Biscayne Bay; it's populated with restaurants, open-air cafes, open-air malls, and plenty of nightlife spots. It is also an abundant resource of peacocks. Apparently, actual peacocks have taken over the town, reproducing in abundance - their squawks sounds constantly like the soundtrack of a horror film, and the birds poop wherever they feel, even if that means on residents' cars (a natural resource which, if not promptly removed, leaves a stain). The birds' numbers are estimated at about forty per three-block area.

Residents of the Grove delight in the thought of ridding themselves of the gorgeous pests - only can't because the area is a designated bird sanctuary. Which means the birds can be neither trapped nor killed, and besides, officials are siding with the irritating pests - probably because there aren't any officials who live in the neighborhood. (Resources claim that many Miami residents who live elsewhere in the city seem to agree the birds should be left alone.) However, residents faced with the problem continue to proclaim the ever-growing resources of peacocks are a menace to their community. Parents complain that they worry about their children playing in peacock poop, and getting sick as a consequence of the inconsiderate peafowl. They have been filing complaints with the Miami City Commissioner, Marc Sarnoff, concerning the rain of feces, as well as the shrieking calls that the birds make constantly to one another throughout the night.

It is not known for certain from whence this barrage of annoying birds came, but many guess that it began in the eighties, when someone's pair of pet peacocks escaped or were turned loose (perhaps they were the exotic indulgences of a cocaine cowboy from the period). In any case, the residents actually seemed to like the birds before their numbers began to multiply at an incredible rate. Now many Coconut Grove locals blame their sleepless nights on the birds' screeching.

The city is developing its resources to fight the peacock problem. Their first plan is to pack up some of the birds and ship them to other Miami neighborhoods, who, for now, actually welcome the idea of new neighbors (though this only seems like the start of an old problem in a new neighborhood). Another idea is to hand the birds over to activists with the proper resources for containing the birds - an appealing idea because the birds would be kept in proper facilities. In Miami style, the third option is the attempt to train the beasts to cease and desist from all trespassing attempts. But when it comes to action, the City Commissioner makes no promise as far as funding any of these efforts.

Peacologists claim that since peacocks aren't the shyest of creatures, they may even crave human attention. Perhaps their bad behavior is like a child's cry for attention? Apparently they may even love people that hate them - but more than their love of being hated, the peacocks love Coconut Grove's resources: the food provided by the local flora fauna, insects, and pet food - which is readily available in local cat lady's yards.

But the news is not all bad, at least not for the economy, as prospective homebuyers find the peacocks to be a plus, at least until after they move in. Peacocks are native to India, but similar temperatures in South Florida have the birds flourishing, much to the chagrin of the area's other residents. City officials keep saying they're looking into it, but the problem is yet unresolved.