Would Grove residents like to see a similar program started in Coconut Grove? Needless to say, there are mixed reviews.
Almost everyone in Coconut Grove has a story to tell about a close encounter with iridescent blue and green peafowl.
For some, peacocks have become loud but friendly neighbors whose “AHH… AHH” squawks have become a morning ritual, just like a freshly brewed cup of coffee.
The bird’s beauty adds to its appeal, especially during mating season from February to August when males put on a dazzling show by fanning their feathers.
Not everyone is dazzled, though. Critics say the flamboyant birds need an eviction notice. They point to piles of poop and peck marks on parked cars as ample proof the birds are more bane than blessing, especially as they continue to reproduce.
While Grove residents debate the pros and cons of peacocks, just 20 minutes down the road the Village of Pinecrest is marking the one-year anniversary of its Peacock Mitigation Program.

Launched in October 2023, the program seeks to appease both fans and foes of these prideful birds by curbing peacock procreation.
Would Grove residents want to implement a similar program?
“The program has shown measurable progress in stabilizing the peacock population within the Village of Pinecrest,” Shannon Del Prado, who initiated the program as Pinecrest’s vice mayor, said in a statement to the Spotlight.
The program targets male peacocks. Trappers hired by the village capture the birds and deliver them to veterinarian Don Harris, who then performs a vasectomy. Del Prado says the intervention program has been effective.
“Initial reports from multiple residents indicate a decline in the population from the program’s start, particularly in areas where mitigation efforts have been most concentrated,” she said.
The neutered birds are then released with bracelets on their legs, so trappers can identify those that have been snipped. Pinecrest officials say the altered males still strut their stuff, act like dominant males and show off their feathers.
“The program has successfully performed vasectomies on approximately 72 peacocks since its inception,” Del Prado said. “While exact figures are difficult to pinpoint, the current population is estimated to be approximately 350-500 birds.”

The program costs between $5,000 to $8,000 a month – which translates to 27 to 44 cents for each village taxpayer – depending on how many peacocks are fixed, according to Del Prado.
Cost aside, Grove residents are split on whether Pinecrest’s mitigation program would be a good fit for the City of Miami.
Catarina Jimenez is mom to Magic the Peacock. She raised Magic after he was orphaned at the age of one week and now treats him like part of her family. Neighbors often see her walk the peacock in her South Grove neighborhood.
She is a staunch opponent to the program, saying vasectomies will slowly destroy the Grove’s beauty.
“A lot of the charm of the Grove is based on the No. 1 animal that you see everywhere,” Jimenez said. “In terms of art, statues, names of restaurants and places and parks… that’s peacocks. Expanding this program would go against what has made the Grove a special place.”
Fatima Jebai also opposes bringing the Pinecrest program to the Grove. The Spotlight caught up with Jebai recently as she was on her way to Tamarac seeking help for an injured peahen found on her property.
“We already have lower numbers now, so I don’t think there’s a need to neuter the peacocks,” she said. “To me, the Grove has always been about the foliage and the peacocks. This is what Coconut Grove is supposed to be.”
Grove residents Robin Parker and Joan Goldsand disagree. They would support a local effort to control peacocks in the Grove.
Parker, a third-generation resident, worries about South Florida’s ecosystem – peacocks are non-native – and disease. “I do feel very strongly that if (peacocks) are getting out of control and leaving their messes everywhere, and some child steps in the mess and gets bacteria on (their) hands – a child could be sick,” he said.

Goldsand says peacocks cause more problems than she can count.
“They are a nuisance at this point,” she said. “You can’t drive through certain times of the day without waiting for them to move out of the way. Their excrement is everywhere… the noise is (another) thing, and a lot of personal property damage on roofs and cars.” Javier Gonzalez, a Miami City Commission aide for District 2 who covers the Grove, said the city’s code enforcement team is aware of the Pinecrest experiment, but no decision has been made about whether to pursue a similar program in the Grove, and no proposal has reached the desk of District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo. If a proposal is presented, Gonzalez said nothing will be decided without public input.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with additional information provided by Catarina Jimenez.
Nice article. I’d love to see a follow up sometime exploring the natural history of peacocks in Coconut Grove. I know the original Peacocks were actually Charles and Isabella for whom Grove landmarks are named but how and when did the peacocks in question come to be here? Have they affected the populations of any native species? Does their feces contain human pathogens like salmonella? What is the peacock population projected to be in 10 years, 20 years? I love the peacocks but I definitely enjoyed having them as my neighbors more 40 years ago when their poop wasn’t everywhere and their cries were less constant. I think mitigation makes sense and would improve the quality of life not just of human Grovites but of the poor overworked peahen moms!
I do agree with Kathryn regarding examining the long term consequences of pea fowl mitigation. The cost seems so high! How many people could we feed in the Grove for $5,000 a month! The peacocks were brought here by James Deering I think (correct me if I am wrong, please). They were meant to enhance the ambiance at Vizcaya. I am against keeping them here. They are a nuisance and drop salmonella poop everywhere. They are native to India and belong in the zoo, neutered.