Town aims to reduce peafowl to 12 birds

Longbeach Village resident Kip O’Neill has shelled out money for a new roof, repainted her car twice and had to replace her mailbox this season when it was run over by peacock watchers.

But she can’t send the bill to the estimated 150 peacocks and counting that wake her up every morning by jumping and scratching her roof and leaving behind peacock poop on her porch.

“As we speak, babies are running around and hatching all over the place,” O’Neill told the Longboat Key Town Commission at its July 6 regular meeting. “They all got to go.”

The town, though, is looking into a plan this summer to remove all peacocks in the Village except for 12 males.

“As we speak, babies are running around and hatching all over the place. They all got to go.”

— Longbeach Village resident Kip O'Neill

“The (peacock) population has soared, some say to 150 birds,” Public Works Director Juan Florensa told commissioners as part of a July 6 peacock report. “In order to control the population to a manageable number, you need to remove all of the peahens (female) birds and just leave males behind.”

The commission gave Town Manager Dave Bullock and staff direction to solicit bids this summer for trappers capable of finding and removing all of the peafowl except 12 male birds.

The town, which estimates the cost of removing the birds will be more than $10,000, will review trapper plans and proposals in the fall in a public meeting where Villagers can provide public input.

Florensa pointed out if the town gets into the peacock removal business, there will most likely always be a budget item for trapping and removing birds.

“No one will guarantee all the female birds have been removed,” Florensa said. “Some of these birds lay eggs in trees and hide them in the grass. It will take awhile to find them all.”

Commissioner Phill Younger made a motion to eliminate all of the peacocks in the Village.

“I don’t see any benefit in just removing the peahens because we’ve talked about doing this before and didn’t do it,” Younger said. “I’m of the opinion that if we need to do this, they all need to go. Period.”

But the motion didn’t receive any support because commissioners want to see peacock removal estimates and let the Villagers provide input in the fall.

“I can’t see a downside to leaving 10 or so males,” said Commissioner Pat Zunz, who lives in Lands End near the Village. “I do see a downside to having any females left.”

When Mayor Jack Duncan questioned how the town could handle this issue better than the Village, Florensa suggested the town has more resources and staff can manage the project better.

“Perhaps we could create an incentive for trappers as part of a contract if all birds were removed,” “Florensa said.

Asked by Vice Mayor Terry Gans if he had an idea how much the project would cost, Florensa didn’t have an answer.

"I’ve done many projects in my Public Works career but peacock culling has snot been one of them,” Florensa said.

Although O’Neill recommends removing all the birds, she’s pleased the town is working to manage the peacocks.

“I’ve been here 21 years, and I want to calm things down and improve the atmosphere and quality of life in my neighborhood,” O’Neill said. “One peacock can make a hell of a lot of noise, and they are a health hazard.”