Cape Canaveral Peacocks: The Most Beautiful Attraction on the Space Coast??
With iridescent blues and greens that shimmer in the sun, its one of the most beautiful sights in Florida.
No, I’m not talking about the ocean – I’m talking about Cape Canaveral peacocks!
While Cape Canaveral is best known for the Kennedy Space Center, space shuttles aren’t the only thing taking flight here. Look up, and you might just see a peacock staring down at you from the branches of a tree – or from the roof of a house!
While its not uncommon to find this majestic bird at the zoo, there’s something truly awe-inspiring about stumbling across a flock in the wild. (If you can consider the suburbs “wild,” that is.) Finding peacocks in Cape Canaveral is one of the most fun, unique, and free Florida side-quests you can embark on!
Proud as a Peacock
Weighing anywhere from six to thirteen pounds, peafowl have become the neighborhood stray cats of Cape Canaveral. (For the record, “peafowl” is proper terminology. Peacock refers specifically to males, peahen to females, and peachick – adorable! – to the kiddos.1)
With long elaborate tail feathers that can flare into a magnificent fan, peacocks have been a symbol of beauty, wealth, and status for centuries. That speaks well for the community of Cape Canaveral, right?
Well, sort of.
I Guess We’re Neighbors Now?
While the birds are undeniably gorgeous, they are not native to Florida and are technically considered an invasive species.2 That means, following proper relocation protocol, residents are within their rights to remove peacocks from their property. However, the peafowl community in Cape Canaveral has been around for nearly five decades (at least, according to some sources), so it would appear the resident humans and birds enjoy an amicable coexistence. They even have a peacock crossing sign! We love to see it.
Legend has it the Eberwein family owned the first Cape Canaveral peafowl – part of their farm just north of town. However, when the family moved in 1986, the beautiful birds were abandoned. Far from being disgruntled, the peacocks took the opportunity to become the rulers of their own roost, eventually taking over an entire neighborhood in town.3
Though the peacocks leave some folks sighing over messy porches and insanely loud calls during mating season, the insect control and beauty provided by the birds is a decent pay off. (They certainly beat having plastic flamingos in your lawn!)
Where to Find the Cape Canaveral Peacocks
So, where exactly can you find these wild peacocks?
Take a leisurely drive through Harbor Heights and you’re likely to spot a number of peafowl parading around!4 They’re so fun to watch and photograph – just make sure you’re in a safe spot that doesn’t block traffic if you stop to do so. While residents are used to peacock-seeking visitors, the neighborhood is still their home – not a drive-thru safari!
Other peacock haunts include the Ocean Woods community (with the greatest concentration usually being north of Central Avenue) and, occasionally, the aptly named Peacock Beach. Even peafowl like to kick back in the surf and sun!
If you’re staying in Cocoa Beach, scouting out these feathered friends can be a great little detour to mingle in with your beach day, Space Center visit, and Ron Jon’s shopping spree. A “hidden gem” of Cape Canaveral, birdwatchers will be both surprised and delighted at what they find in the heart of quaint and unsuspecting Harbor Heights.
Have you seen the peacocks in Cape Canaveral? Tell us all about your peafowl sightings in the comments below!
Happy birdwatching!
Cover photo: Unsplash
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