The city of Fairfield is working to address a growing number of peafowl that residents say are damaging property and vehicles.
Public Works crews were out Thursday working to trap the birds and relocate them to a farm in Yolo County. The city said trappings will continue weekly "until the nuisance is abated."
“They peck at cars, they’ve broken windows out of cars,” said Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy. “And they see themselves, I guess, and think it’s a bird they need to fight with.”
One Fairfield resident, who declined to give a last name, described to NBC Bay Area some of the chaos the birds cause.
“They’re a nuisance to my sleep because they start first thing in the morning, 4 o’clock in the morning,” said Nina. “They have droppings everywhere. Damaging solar panels, damaging roof tiles.”
The birds started as a small flock on a plot of land gifted to the city as a park. The city agreed to let the birds stay on the land as part of the deal.
But since then, the peacock population has exploded.
“A flock of them should be no larger than 25 birds,” said Moy, “but they’re up to 120.”
Residents have taken their complaints to city hall, with many saying the birds are creating a mess that’s costing them thousands of dollars.
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“I have a skylight,” said Beatrice Serrano. “They’ve made cracks in a skylight, in a roof. We've had bad rains. it is now starting to leak. Whose problem is that? Mine.”
The peafowl has been discussed in several city council meetings over the summer. Councilmembers at a July 18 meeting agreed the pride should be thinned and that work should begin in the flower streets neighborhood, according to the city.
“Starting today, we begin capturing them, trapping them,” said Moy.
But some are outraged over the decision. They see the peacocks as an important part of the neighborhood.
“They’re like pets for us. My dogs are used to them, my grandchildren are used to them, so they’re like pets,” said Kimberly Smith.
Others even feed the birds. They believe the birds add beauty to the area.
“My neighbor across the street, he goes, ‘they’re my friends,’ “ said Marvin Richardson. “He feeds them cheerios.”
