Oakland plans to relocate problem peacocks

OAKLAND, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Some neighbors in Oakland are complaining about a peacock problem. Now the town is taking action against the fowl. 

It’s mating season for the peacocks.

With nearly 50 peacocks roaming an Oakland neighborhood, that means a lot of squawking during the day and night from rooftops to trees. 

Many of them like to gather on Katherine Wright’s oak tree in her front yard.  

“You have to hose down the driveways, hose down the sidewalks and the yard," Wright said. “They’re beautiful birds. The downside is just the mess that they leave. Dirty baby diaper smell. It’s a stench of its own.”

The complaints were enough to get the town of Oakland to take action by hiring a trapper for $1,500 to humanely relocate about a dozen of the preening peacocks. 

“We want to keep the peacocks in the town," Oakland Assistant Town Manager Steve Koontz said. "We just need to manage that population.”

Yet some neighbors say they don’t mind the beautiful nuisance. 

“To me they bring a little joy," Dennis Okena said. "Other people they may not.”

“Peacocks are pretty birds, but they’re just kinda annoying and they’re nasty,” Wright said.