A feud over peacocks in neighborhood near South Texas Medical Center

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – Who doesn’t enjoy looking at beautiful peacocks strutting around and spreading their colorful feathers in the shape of a large, radiant fan, but do you want them roaming around your yard, on your fence or on your roof?

Some Glen Oaks residents are fighting to protect the peacocks in their neighborhood, others want them out. KTSA Photo/Elizabeth Ruiz

 

Many residents in the Glen Oaks subdivision love the peacocks, but as you drive around that neighborhood near the South Texas Medical Center, it’s clear that several residents don’t want them around. They’ve posted signs in their yards that read “Don’t Feed the Peacocks.”

Peacocks roam Glen Oaks neighborhood, Some residents want the city of San Antonio to approve an ordinance to protect them. KTSA Photo/Elizabeth Ruiz

Some residents have complained that the peafowl have damaged their cars, gardens and roofs.

 

“Those signs don’t mean a thing. They still get fed,” said a woman named Alice, who lives in the neighborhood. “I think they’re pretty and they eat the bugs.”

Elizabeth Villarreal wants the city to do something to protect peafowl in her neighborhood. While people enjoy visiting the area to see the peacocks, not all are well-intentioned.

“We have people chase them because they want their feathers,” said Villarreal. She said some people catch them, put them in bags and haul them away.

“Don’t touch them. Don’t trap them. Just leave them alone and don’t be killing them,” she said.

Villarreal and several residents have signed a petition asking the City of San Antonio to approve an ordinance that would protect the peafowl and their nests.  Information on peafowl on the City of San Antonio’s website states that it’s lawful, but not encouraged to “humanely kill wild peafowl outside of the public’s view.”

“Just leave them alone. They’ve been here a long time,” said Anna Campos. “We like them. It’s nature. Grandkids come. People come and take pictures of them.”

A Protect the Peacocks rally is scheduled at 4 pm Monday, July 1, on Babcock Road at Baywater.

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