Welcome Back: Town fails to lure peacock trapper

While you were away, the 150 peacocks in Longbeach Village didn’t leave town. And they’re not going anywhere anytime soon, despite the fact that, for many, they’ve overstayed their welcome. 

Longboat Key Public Works Director Juan Florensa said an October deadline to submit trapper bids to reduce the peafowl population passed with no takers. 

The Longboat Key Town Commission gave Town Manager Dave Bullock and staff direction to solicit bids in July for trappers capable of finding and removing all of the peafowl except 12 male birds.

“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,” Florensa said. 

Florensa said he reached out to a couple trapper company representatives, who explained why they didn’t bid.

“They have some concerns trapping birds that run onto private property,” Florensa said. “They’re also worried (about) who is responsible if the birds damage someone’s property while they are being trapped.”

The trappers also suggested there are alternatives to using a net or a trap to capture peacocks.

“Apparently, you can feed them with sedatives or shoot them with a tranquilizer gun to make it easier,” Florensa said. 

The town is continuing dialogue with trappers who may have interest in the contract if its terms are revised. 

Now that the town has solicited bids, it’s free to negotiate a contract with trappers individually without going through another public bid process. 

Although the commission discussed a $10,000 contract, Florensa believes the cost to cull the bird population will be approximately $25,000. 

“It’s not going to be cheap,” Florensa said.

Florensa said there will most likely always be a town budget line item for the trapping and removal of 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.”