Plan to remove peacocks from Fairfield neighborhood to cost taxpayers $400 per bird
FAIRFIELD - A new plan to tackle the peacock problem in Solano County comes at a cost to taxpayers.
The battle over those birds has dragged on for years. The city says close to 100 peacocks are living in and around the Rolling Hills area of Fairfield
"You have to get to know their personalities," said Lynette, a neighbor.
In this Fairfield neighborhood, everybody's got a story.
"I have one called Hobo because his feathers are always askew. I call him Hobo Harry," Lynette said.
"There's one that I've raised from an egg. He was abandoned," another neighbor said.
You'll see the characters in these stories on the street, on the fence or just passing by.
"It's no worse than a dog," Richard Le Davis said.
That's what some people think - that the dozens of wild birds roaming freely should be left alone. They'll tell you the birds were here first.
"The property used to be a ranch, old woman donated the land to the city and along with that came some peafowl," Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy said.
Another group of passionate neighbors, backed by the city council, want the birds gone.
"Some people hate them and some people can't live without them," Moy said.
The compromise is that 50 peacocks will continue to call Fairfield home while the rest will be humanely trapped and rehomed. The company tasked with the job explains what they're in for.
"We have these large traps that are 10 by 10 feet. We always work with the homeowners that they call me for same-day pickup," said Jonathan Gonzalez, who works with Raptor Events LLC in Long Beach.
The work will cost taxpayers $400 per bird, adding up to nearly $20,000. The project could take up to three months.