P.V. Estates : Peafowl Flocks Imbalanced

A census of the city’s two peafowl flocks last month found a “marked imbalance” of males to females, a city report said, but the City Council decided against any more trapping to correct the problem.

The city’s peafowl management plan, adopted last February, calls for a ratio of 20 females to 15 males in each flock. At Malaga Cove the survey found 29 females and 13 males. In October there were 20 birds but males and females were not counted separately.

In the Espinosa Circle flock, the January census found 16 males, 11 females and 2 chicks. In May, 1986, when members of that flock were last counted, there were 23 males and 15 females, and 9 peacocks were relocated outside the city.

The council decided this week not to remove any more birds until after the next census in April, but residents may trap troublesome birds themselves for relocation.