Nothing to See Here, Folks. Except For All The Peacocks.
So my boss and I just had one of those eureka moments, where one person (me) has known about something odd for years and never thought it newsworthy, and the other party (managing editor Dan Koller) is reeling, like, This is normal to you? Really?
We speak of peacocks. Peacocks in Oak Cliff. I live in the Beckley Club Estates area east of I-35, and my roommate and I have long watched several free-spirited, lawless peacocks do whatever it is they feel like doing — crossing roads, magically appearing in trees and on roofs that’re more than 40 feet off the ground (these guys are mostly flightless, no?), traipsing about in our yard, honking and chortling back and forth at each other, etc.
Once I followed them to Lakeview Drive, a street parallel to ours that’s near a creek, so I’ve figured their permanent address is just around the corner. But they’re roamers, one way or another. And truly beautiful.
Anyway, if you Google “Peacocks in Oak Cliff,” you’ll get this shaky YouTube gem of some female birds with a rap soundtrack, posted by “Labacia” in 2009. I’ve heard tell of the peacocks on a Beckley Club neighbors forum, too. Then there’s the Facebook photo my roommate posted last night, of one of ‘em lording over the backyard from our rooftop.
So tell us, have you seen them?
Research update: A group of peacocks is known as a “muster”‘ or — even better — an “ostentation.”
9 comments to "Nothing to See Here, Folks. Except For All The Peacocks."
My husband’s grandmother lived in the Wedgewood High Rise in the early 80s. It was under different ownership then and a lot of seniors gravitated there for the amenities. I was always amazed when we visited, but not so much that there were peacocks on the manicured grounds. Rather, I was surprised by how many there were. LOTS!
I recall my husband’s grandmother telling us that many of the elderly residents did not like the birds because they were loud in the early mornings and evenings (they were), mean (the territorial males would give chase if someone on a sidewalk stroll accidentally ventured too close, curtailing many strollers whose movement was already limited )and messy. Though I never observed one in flight, we were amazed on more than a few occasions to observe one or two peacocks sitting on our relative’s poop-covered, 4th floor window ledge (reference messy, above).
I don’t know if you are observing descendants of escapees or if they were all turned out en masse, but I can at least save you from questioning your sanity. For me, I am delighted to learn that a group of peacocks is called an ‘ostentation’ because I can’t help but think that it is the basis for the use of the word ‘ostentatious.’
@Jhhnt: It’s moments like those (the sheep chase, which I’d love to see, or the peacocks, or anything as offbeat) that make me so proud of Oak Cliff.
So Susan and Darla, do y’all really think it’s likely no one owns these guys, and they’re just a bunch of rogue survivors — or descended from them? Because … wow.
The internet tells me peacocks live about 20 years and don’t eat anything special, bird-diet-wise, so it would stand to reason that some of those strutting around the neighborhood ARE part of the old crew.
I Googled peacocks is Oak Cliff and came across your blog. I’ve seen as many as 12 of them strolling down Arizona. I actually had to wait to cross the street because of their parade! My dog chased one out of my back yard a couple of days ago. He wanted to play with it!
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