Surrey peacocks pushed homeowner ‘to the edge’
A Surrey homeowner’s decision to cut down a tree that was a popular roost for some of the more than 100 peacocks and peahens that call Sullivan Heights home has reignited debate about how to deal with the area’s burgeoning bird population.
Parm Brar said after years of dealing with the wailing, pooping birds in his yard, he had no choice but to fell the tree on Monday.
“They pushed me to the edge. I tried everything,” Brar said.
Every evening, about 40 peacocks and peahens went up on to his roof, then jumped on to the adjacent tree to roost. The birds then covered his backyard, roof and driveway with droppings. He can’t use his deck and his children can’t play in the yard.
Last year, Brar’s father slipped on peacock excrement and fell, breaking his arm and cutting his face badly enough that he required stitches.
Brar rigged up netting and strings to deter the birds, to no avail.
“I’ve never harmed any of the peacocks. If I wanted to take that route I’d have gone that way a long time ago,” he said.
Cutting down the tree was not his first choice, Brar said. He said he did so with the goal of displacing the birds, not hurting them. He said he has spent three years emailing and calling the city, but has got nowhere.
“It wasn’t fun for me,” he said of cutting down the tree, “but I tried every angle.”
Jas Rehal, the city’s manager of public safety, said a bylaw officer went to Brar’s home Monday evening after receiving a complaint. The officer issued a $1,000 fine for illegally cutting down the tree.
The officer and arborists assessed the tree Tuesday. After the city receives a report, it will look at whether to take action in court or fine the homeowner and contractor who cut down the tree up to $10,000.
Rehal said the homeowner applied for a tree-cutting permit before, but was denied.
“It was a very healthy tree, so there’s no real need for the tree to be cut down,” Rehal said. “The unfortunate
thing with the peacocks, removing one tree is not going to get rid of the peacocks in that area. They’re a really resilient bunch of birds. They’ve been around a long time.”
Rehal said it’s his understanding that when one of the farms in the Sullivan Heights area was developed into the subdivision, some peacocks were left to fend for themselves. They have since made themselves
at home and multiplied.
He estimates there are 100 to 150 birds.
A plan by the city to capture the peacocks in 2010 was unsuccessful.
Brar said he had no idea about the peacock problem when he moved in seven years ago, instead learning later the birds had reportedly driven the previous owner away.
A woman who was out with her husband walking their dog said they’ve lived in the area for 13 years and the birds have always been there. She said she’s disappointed the tree was cut down, but she can sympathize with the homeowner.
“They’re beautiful, but they make a big mess. For instance, I wouldn’t want to live in that house if they were nesting in that tree because they make a mess of everything — they poop everywhere,” she said. “I love them, but I think that they needed to be collected.”
Other neighbours were less sympathetic.
Sarah Schuck said she’ll often see the birds while she’s walking her dog Lita in the neighbourhood. She said everyone seems to love the peacocks and it’s upsetting to see the tree come down because the homeowner didn’t have a permit.
“It’s just sad because they were making calls all last night that sounded like they were very lost, like they didn’t know where to go,” she said.
Brar’s neighbour, T.J. Shergill, said the birds are causing problems in a previously friendly, united neighbourhood.
“If people really care about the birds, they should instead of blaming each other, come set a time to sit together and talk to each other about what we need to do,” he said. “Going against each other is not a solution, that’s not right.”