The first time a peacock was seen in the neighborhood it was odd. But two years later, the colorful bird is one of the family in an Independence Township subdivision.
“He stands in the middle of the road, stands on your deck, stands on the roof,” Tom Brand explained, pointing out where he and his neighbors have seen the infamous peacock. “He sits in the back of my buddy’s truck.”
Brand chuckled as he thought about the sight of seeing the peacock chasing his dogs around the yard.
“I have two big dogs,” he said. “One is pretty tough, the other not so much. It is kind of comical. He’s cool. He is all over the place. From putting it online I have had people say they had peacocks running around, too.”
On the other side of Ortonville Road, residents of Hilltop Estates have a neighborhood peacock. Brian Hawley explained they have called around to see if he belonged to anyone and kept an ear open in case they heard anything.
“During the summer we fed him everyday,” Hawley added. “I never pet him but he is really friendly.”
His wife, Laura, remembered the first day she saw him last May because they had just brought their daughter from the hospital.
They researched information about peacocks and what he eats – finding out he eats the same as chickens since they are considered poultry.
“He has become a member of all of our families,” Laura added. “I think he has brought the neighbors closer together.”
Jennifer Holden, from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development , explained peacocks are not native to Michigan and there are no wild peacocks in the United States. She added people should report sightings to animal control.
Share your stories on Facebook.