Foxes. Deer. Even Black Bears. No big deal. But it’s not every day you see a peacock roaming through your backyard.
Kent Clizbe says he often spots interesting birds out his back window, which borders on some undeveloped HOA land and has a stream down a small hill. But the peacock he saw this past Saturday was something new.
“I had to pinch myself to be sure I wasn’t dreaming when I saw a live peacock strutting down the hill,” Clizbe told The Burn. “I watched as he slowly strolled down the hill. Then I went out and followed the peacock. He went into the woods down by the creek. He was casual and at ease, scratching and pecking for food. As he bedded down in a pile of leaves, I warned him, ‘You may not want to hang around here too long — there’s foxes around.'”
Clizbe says the general location was in the Hay Road area of Ashburn, in the stretch between Carolina Brothers and the Ashburn Library.
Clizbe wasn’t the only one to spy the colorful bird. Another neighbor also spotted the peacock walking along a road in the same area.
A staff member at Loudoun County’s Department of Animal Services said they have received several calls about the peacock. However, there’s not much animal control can do.
If the bird were sick or injured, or a traffic hazard, then Animal Services would respond. But peacocks — like most birds – can run and fly and are difficult to catch. If the bird is just minding its own business, callers are advised to try and keep an eye on it and alert Animal Services if anything changes.
The department will also note the time and location of the sighting, so that if someone calls and says they are missing a peacock, there will be some idea of where to look. But so far, no missing peacocks reports.
One final note — the peacock in question is apparently a male peacock due to the bright colored feathers and blue neck. By contrast, female peacocks usually feature more muted colors such as tans, beiges, and browns. “The More You Know.”