Paradise found for Longboat peacocks

For a regular guy, this would have been a riches to rags story.

Zeus’ flashy and colorful disposition drew plenty of attention at his former home on Longboat Key, where he strutted and posed for photos on a regular basis.

Neighbors brought him gifts of food.

Women loved him.

But, now, he has been shipped to a six-and-half-acre property off Waterline Road in Bradenton, a stone’s throw away from Manatee County’s water treatment plant.

The property is an old tree farm, covered in palmettos, palm trees and oaks draped in Spanish moss. There’s not a paved road or street sign in sight, and anyone interested in visiting will have to make an appointment.

For Zeus, though, it’s all OK. He isn’t a regular guy. He is a peacock.

A new resident of Birds of Paradise, a sanctuary with more than 250 parrots and exotic birds in 16 aviaries, Zeus literally has moved, for him, to paradise. He was one of six peafowl, three males and three females, moved from Longboat Key to their new home.

“I have this problem with animals being displaced,” said Debbie Huckaby, executive director of Birds of Paradise. “They needed a home and I’m capable of caring for additional feathered friends.”

Zeus, who arrived April 20, is the 26th peafowl captured in the town of Longboat Key’s quest to thin a roughly 46-bird flock down to a dozen males. Town officials in December signed off on a $25,000 contract with Nuisance Wildlife Removal to relocate the animals. The company started trapping peafowl in January. About eight females remain at large, said Christy Norris, vice president of Nuisance Wildlife Removal.

Huckaby will take as many as need homes, potentially the remainder.

“We’ll be overrun with peacocks,” said Debbie Huckaby, executive director of Birds of Paradise, with a laugh.

Norris said the other captured peafowl are housed with a private collector in an undisclosed location in Manatee County.

The wings of Zeus and his companions will not be clipped, so it’s important they remain contained for about 60 days — long enough for them to feel like Birds of Paradise has become their home. If released too soon, they will fly away back to Longboat Key.

Once the peafowl’s quarantine is over, they’ll be released to freely roam the property.

Huckaby hopes to open the sanctuary to educational tours in the future, probably not until 2017, so having peacocks roam freely eventually will be an added attraction.

Those plans, however, largely will depend on the work of volunteers and raising sufficient funds. Birds of Paradise has monthly expenses of about $5,000 to feed and care for its bird residents, and maintain their safety on property.

Huckaby said she hopes to start educational initiatives in late 2016, but early 2017 is more likely.