Pecking order for peacocks

Percy and his family are being sent to a nearby estate

A family of peacocks that attacked and damaged cars in a district council car park are being banished to a nearby estate.

The three peacocks, which live at Kelham Hall, the offices of Newark and Sherwood council in Nottinghamshire, are especially attracted by blue cars parked outside the historic house.

Councillor Nora Armstrong said: "They like blue cars and they are a bit territorial so they think maybe another bird is coming into their patch.

After seeing their reflection in the car's paintwork, they attack what they think is an intruder.

Tail wagging

The peacocks attack the cars with their claws and beaks, causing quite a lot of damage to the paintwork.

Council employee Jim Besson said one peacock got into trouble at one point when a car backed out and almost tore off the bird's tail feathers.

The council said its insurers are no longer willing to meet the cost of repairs.

The peacocks favour blue cars

Nicknamed Percy, the male peacock and his family have become a regular sight at Kelham Hall, near Newark for the past 18 months.

But councillors recently decided that Percy, his mate and their two offspring will have to go.

Tim Cleeves, a conservation officer with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said peacocks usually have a harem of peahens and will attack any threat or danger.

"There is a lot of tail-wagging and strutting during the mating season," he said.

He said even the tiny pied wagtail, a native British bird, will attack wing mirrors on cars in the mating season if it thinks the reflection is a rival.

The birds will now be moved to a 75-acre estate nearby which already looks after peacocks.

The council said it is an ideal habitat and the birds will be well cared for.

Mr Besson said most employees will be sad to see the birds leave, but perhaps not the ones who had their cars damaged.

But the birds might be tricky to catch, as they fly quite well and roost in trees, he said.