Horny peacocks have taken over the streets of a small Italian village, attacking cars and tormenting residents with their loud and persistent mating calls.
The flamboyant birds, whose males fan out beautiful tail feathers in extravagant courtship displays, have become an increasingly noisy presence in the once peaceful village of Punta Marina.
While there has been no official count, the flock is estimated to have swelled to around 120 – and there appears to be no natural predators.
Retired bus driver Marco Manzoli, 81, said the booming population has become “too much” as “their number has exploded in 30 years”. Manzoli told AFP: “They disturb sleep, obstruct traffic, and leave the ground dirty with droppings that look like ice cream, which we end up stepping on.”
He continued: “The peacocks climb on the cars and scratch them.” Manzoli subsequently warned tourists may stop visiting his village unless they can park in a garage.
Claudio Ianiero, 64, a baker, said the peacocks used to live in pinewoods behind the village but began nesting in the gardens of abandoned homes to avoid predators such as wolves and foxes. In Punta Marina they have none, allowing the birds to multiply quickly.
Mara Capasso, 57, who works at a grocery store, said the issue has split the community into two camps, with some neighbours woken nightly by the birds’ calls.
But Ianiero says locals have been living in harmony with the birds for years.
With their crests and countless shades of blue, he believes the birds are “something magical” for Punta Marina. Ravenna council, which oversees Punta Marina, has considered various ways to manage the population, 20 Minutes reported.
A relocation attempt in 2022 reportedly failed largely due to opposition from animal welfare groups, but the idea may now gain traction again. Local resident Emanuele Crescentini, 50, who calls himself a peacocks’ “forest ranger”, said more could be done to promote coexistence, insisting there is enough space for the birds to spread out without causing problems.
Peacocks are particularly noisy at this time of year, with May often coinciding with the peak of their breeding season. Wildlife experts say the piercing “scream” is largely driven by mating behaviour.
The breeding season typically runs from March through to July, and males use the high-pitched call, often compared to someone shouting “Help!” or an intense cat-like screech, to attract females, warn off rivals and mark out their territory.
The birds also use the call as an alarm. Peacocks are highly alert and can cry out instantly if they sense danger, such as foxes, unfamiliar dogs or sudden loud noises, which can make the sound seem constant in areas where the birds live close to people.
Peacock calls can be extremely loud. Estimates put the scream in the region of around 108 to 115 decibels, with peaks reported even higher during intense displays, comparable to a chainsaw, leaf blower or a loud concert, and the sound can carry for miles depending on the landscape and weather conditions.
Residents can notice the calling from early morning through to dusk during the height of the season. While peacocks generally settle at night, they may still shriek after dark if disturbed by headlights, predators or thunderstorms, before the noise usually eases off later in the summer.
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