One Day A Peacock Walked Down My Driveway

One day a peacock walked down my driveway. While this would be unusual for most people, this was particularly the case given were I live. Half way up a mountain in Central Italy.

I was washing dishes at the kitchen sink and glanced out of the window to see this vision of blue splendor 'swish' his way down our drive with his long tail feathers making a dust trail. I am sure you can imagine me standing there with my mouth open?

Anyway, I called him 'Indie' and he stayed with me for a few months. I tried to find where he had come from and everyone was as stunned about him as I was. The local animal feed merchant did a brilliant job of hiding his surprise at being asked for peacock food...

The thing is, Indie wanted a woman. Plain and simple. He would display at me when I was in the garden, rattling his tail feathers and looking magnificent. He displayed at the kittens as they watched in amazement. He then let them ride around on his tail feathers. My heart was in my mouth the first time, as Indie had huge claws that if he kicked out could kill a kitten. But he seemed to like the kittens and they loved Indie so it was a match made in heaven.

Indie's displaying did cause some problems. I had a workman repairing the roof and was outside when I heard a startled yell followed by the sound of scurrying footsteps. The workman came down his ladder without touching the rungs! He had turned to pick up a roof tile and there was Indie walking towards him rustling his feathers in full display mode. The workmen asked me if you could eat peacock but retreated swiftly on seeing the look on my face.

Indie would come and tap on the window when he wanted food. At first I thought he was pecking at his own reflection but it was clear that was not the case. If I was in my art studio working he would peck on the window there to get my attention. He was a great subject for my work! If I was in the living room he would climb across the metal pergola at the front of the house and stare in the window and tap to catch my attention.

We had long debates about whether to try and catch him. Local animal rescue didn't have a clue what to do or how to catch him. But as there was nowhere obvious to take him if we did catch him somehow, we decided to leave him alone as he was doing absolutely fine as a 'wild' peacock. We talked about creating a shelter for him, but at night, Indie would roost high up in an oak tree in my woodland. He had obviously been doing this sort of thing for a long time. As soon as I opened the front door in the morning he was there asking for food.

I decided to try and find a mate for Indie but to no avail. Animal and bird rescue centers talked to me very strangely when I asked them if, just by chance, they had a female peacock (peahen) looking for a home. I was offered two peahens but they were cage reared and Indie was very definitely free range. The peahens definitely wouldn't cope out on the mountain side, not least during hunting season.

In fact, I am still not sure how Indie lived as long as he did given the circumstances. Given the length of his feathers and his full coloring he was no spring chicken!

One day Indie disappeared but I could hear his call way off in the distance. I didn't mind the calling but it can be quite loud. Anyway, Indie had moved on to my neighbor's house having decided there was no female at my house. After a few weeks he moved up the mountain to another house. I only know because someone was talking about how a peacock turned up at their house one day and how weird it was. You can say that again!

Eventually Indie moved on and no-one ever heard of or from him again. After he had disappeared I heard that several miles away there were some private gardens with peacocks who wandered freely so we wondered if he came from there originally. If so, I hope he found his way home. I also hope he found his female companion(s), he deserved to with all the effort he put in. I still have a bag of his beautiful downy feathers that I used to pick up after he had been preening. He brought such joy into my life in his short time with us. I will certainly never forget the day a peacock walked down my driveway that is for sure!

More info: dorothyberryloundart.com

Indie roosting in the front garden, a fantasy image based on his wonderful colors and the garden flowers. Photoart by Dorothy Berry-Lound

Indie on the metal pergola in front of the house thinking about having a little nap. Photoart by Dorothy Berry-Lound

Shucks No Audience shows Indie displaying near the empty swing and no-one around to see him in action. Photoart by Dorothy Berry-Lound

A stylized photograph of Indie in my woodland blending in with the background - or not. Photoart by Dorothy Berry-Lound