Villagers plagued by sexy peacocks’ loud screams and ‘ice cream poo’ – have to know
Need to know
The peacocks have become an increasingly noisy presence in the Italian village of Punta Marina, in the Ravenna province, during peak mating season, and the community has become divided
A wild peacock standing on a roof in Punta Marina, north-eastern Italy(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Everything you need to know
- Horny peacocks have taken over an Italian village, turning residents’ lives into a living nightmare with their ear-splitting mating calls.
- The randy birds have invaded Punta Marina in their hundreds, scratching cars and leaving droppings everywhere as they hunt for mates.
- Retired bus driver Marco Manzoli, 81, said the booming population has become “too much” as “their number has exploded in 30 years”. He told how “they disturb sleep, obstruct traffic, and leave the ground dirty with droppings that look like ice cream, which we end up stepping on.”
- The peacocks used to live in nearby woods but moved into abandoned gardens to escape predators like wolves and foxes. Now with no natural enemies, the flock has swelled to around 120 birds.
- The issue has split the community, with some neighbours woken nightly by the birds’ deafening screams that can reach 115 decibels – as loud as a chainsaw.
- But baker Claudio Ianiero believes the colourful creatures are “something magical” for the village. A 2022 relocation attempt failed due to opposition from animal welfare groups, though officials are considering trying again.
READ THE FULL STORY: Horny peacocks terrorising villagers with chainsaw-loud screams and ‘ice cream poo’
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