Village peacocks facing ‘ humane dispatch’ to move into sanctuary

A BAND of peacocks who have merrily roamed a village for two years have scored a new roost and are set to avoid “humane dispatch” by police.

The Boys, as they are affectionately known by some, are a fixture of life in Henfield in Sussex and their vibrant plumages have been a joyful sight to many.

Butwhilethecolourfulband of birds are popular with many inhabitants of the picturesque village, they have ruffled a few feathers and their future had looked up in the air.

Residents received a letter from Sussex Police saying efforts were being made to trap and rehome the five peacocks.

But the letter added that if that could not be completed, then “humane dispatch” would be required. Sue Bird, who lives in the village and helps run the Save the Henfield Peacocks Facebook group, said a deal has been reached to give the peacocks a more static home in the village.

She said: “They are quite tame, the children in the village feed them from their hands. Some of kids found out that they like strawberries.

“During the lockdown they have been visiting people’s gardens.”

The Boys roam as they please but can be reliably tracked down at certain times of day when they visit specific homes for food.

Their visits to a care home during lockdown provided “a bit of something light” to residents who could not receive visitors, Ms Bird added.

In one amusing scrape, the birds held up traffic near the local pub one day as they slowly crossed the road.

“We would be quite happy for them to roam but yes they have been a nuisance to some people and obviously those people have got a right to their opinion,” she said.

The birds have been known to nibble on vegetables in people’s gardens, she added.

Sergeant Tom Carter, wildlife crime lead for Sussex Police, said peacocks are a nonnative species which have been “causing damage to the native environment and nature”. He said it was important to remove them to a “secure sanctuary”.