Glendale council favors humane relocation and feeding ban as peafowl population swells around Sahuaro Ranch Park

The Glendale City Council signaled consensus on Aug. 12 to pursue a humane relocation program and a code amendment to prohibit feeding after staff reported a growing peafowl population that is causing property damage, sanitation complaints and rising maintenance costs.

City parks director John Kennedy told the council the birds are concentrated at Sahuaro Ranch Park, the Glendale Main Library and the Glendale Adult Center and that the population has increased in recent counts. “The peafowl are beautiful,” Kennedy said, and added the growing population “is causing community and operational challenges” that are not sustainable.

The issue matters because staff documented 28 formal complaints in the last two years and tabulated mounting facility costs tied to the birds. Kennedy said library cleanup runs about $12,000 a year under current service levels and could rise to $24,000 if the city increases collection frequency; he also cited a $55,000 skylight cleaning and repair estimate, a $25,000 chiller cleanup and other roof and securing costs. The Glendale Adult Center spends roughly $6,000 annually on cleanup, he said.

Staff recommended a two-part approach: (1) contract with Raptor Events, a wildlife relocation firm that has worked with other California jurisdictions, to trap and relocate birds to vetted farms and residences at least 20 miles away (estimated at about $425 per bird); and (2) amend city code to make feeding peafowl on public property enforceable. Texas A&M’s Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology told staff it would accept up to 40 birds for behavioral study and would cover transportation for those birds, Kennedy said.

Supporting details from staff included population counts and reproductive estimates: an in-house census found about 111 birds in February 2024, about 160 in February 2025 and an estimated 137 in March 2025; staff estimated there are currently roughly 130–160 peafowl in the park/library/adjacent neighborhoods. Kennedy described a mating season from April through September, with April–May as a peak; he noted each peacock may mate with five to seven peahens, each peahen may lay three to eight eggs, and with roughly a 50% chick survival estimate the population could reach about 300 by 2026 if unchecked.

Council members discussed available options and limits of authority. Several members supported relocation and a feeding prohibition while noting the birds are nonnative and not regulated by state wildlife rules. One council member noted state law already prohibits feeding wildlife; city staff advised peafowl are not a state-regulated species and that the city would need local ordinance language specific to peafowl feeding to create an enforceable prohibition. Council members asked staff to base the new provision on the existing pigeon-feeding ordinance (Chapter 25-24) and to return with draft language and an agreement with Raptor Events.

No formal vote was held at the workshop; staff sought and received consensus to proceed with drafting a relocation agreement and an amendment to the municipal code and to continue exploring catch‑sterilize‑release options with local partners. The council also asked staff to examine potential partners such as Texas A&M and Midwestern University and to return with details, costs and, if appropriate, a future agenda item for formal action.

Kennedy and council members emphasized humane treatment and prevention of reoccurrence — combining relocation, enforceable no‑feeding rules, and ongoing management to reduce future population growth and property impacts.

Ending — Next steps: Staff will draft ordinance language to add peafowl to the city’s feeding prohibition (using Chapter 25-24 as a model), prepare a proposed agreement with Raptor Events and outline cost and partner options (including Texas A&M and Midwestern University) for council consideration at a future meeting. No final action was taken at the workshop; the council directed staff to return with specifics.