Need advice in bird psychology

[John_in_NC]

Hello friends-of-birds!

First, let me apologize if this is too far off topic for this community. However, we're at the end of our rope and cannot find solutions or suggestions anywhere else.

I need bird psychology advice for a peacock that is pecking people and drawing blood. I know this forum is for smaller indoor birds, but I'm just hoping someone might offer some insights before we must get rid of this bird.

At my family farm we have lots of visitors. We open for tourists several weekends every year, and we also have a Bed & Breakfast. We have enjoyed having peafowl and guineafowl ranging free on the farm. The Peacocks and peahens provide security (nice intruder alarms) and add to the scenery. The guineas eat ticks and other nuisance insects, as well as reinforcing the peafowl in their security duties.

Over more than two decades we've really enjoyed having several peacocks. But the most recent peacock we've gotten was raised to eat from human hands. We fear this im-printation has caused the peacock to have an unhealthy fixation on humans. He follows us around incessantly. And several times in just a few weeks he has pecked people's legs, once drawing blood from my septuagenarian mother's leg. I contacted the original owner and they somehow seemed to have neglected to tell me about this dangerous behavior. She said that Raja (the peacock) had taken to following her small daughter around all the time, and had tried to climb on top of her. In fact, the prior owner had started arming herself with a stick every time she went outside. Obviously a problem bird. (Caveat emptor, buyer beware. Wish I'd known this beforehand.)

He does have a "harem." His two peahens, however, have chosen to spend their days and nights inside a pasture patrolled by llamas, rather than wandering the whole farm with Raja. Probably a good idea since we do have the occasional visit from fox and coyotes.

Raja is a beautiful bird. And I do not want to conclude that this is violent behavior. I'd prefer to think it is simply inappropriate food-seeking behavior.

But how do we help Raja change the behavior?

thanks in advance,

John

 

[Anne & Gang]

WElcome...I have no advice for you but there is a very good website called backyardchickens.com where there is also a chat line..I noticed there are several peacock references on there so maybe someone there will be able to help you.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

HI John,

Just remember that behavior only happens because of past experience and past outcomes. There is something that is driving this behavior. I am wondering if mugging, following or perhaps light pecking got this bird reinforcement before and that when he tried it with new people and it went ignored, the bird is going through an extinction burst.

Can you set up a training plan, maybe including station training, where he is trained to go to a station to wait for reinforcement rather than following and demanding it?

Hello friends-of-birds!

First, let me apologize if this is too far off topic for this community. However, we're at the end of our rope and cannot find solutions or suggestions anywhere else.

I need bird psychology advice for a peacock that is pecking people and drawing blood. I know this forum is for smaller indoor birds, but I'm just hoping someone might offer some insights before we must get rid of this bird.

At my family farm we have lots of visitors. We open for tourists several weekends every year, and we also have a Bed & Breakfast. We have enjoyed having peafowl and guineafowl ranging free on the farm. The Peacocks and peahens provide security (nice intruder alarms) and add to the scenery. The guineas eat ticks and other nuisance insects, as well as reinforcing the peafowl in their security duties.

Over more than two decades we've really enjoyed having several peacocks. But the most recent peacock we've gotten was raised to eat from human hands. We fear this im-printation has caused the peacock to have an unhealthy fixation on humans. He follows us around incessantly. And several times in just a few weeks he has pecked people's legs, once drawing blood from my septuagenarian mother's leg. I contacted the original owner and they somehow seemed to have neglected to tell me about this dangerous behavior. She said that Raja (the peacock) had taken to following her small daughter around all the time, and had tried to climb on top of her. In fact, the prior owner had started arming herself with a stick every time she went outside. Obviously a problem bird. (Caveat emptor, buyer beware. Wish I'd known this beforehand.)

He does have a "harem." His two peahens, however, have chosen to spend their days and nights inside a pasture patrolled by llamas, rather than wandering the whole farm with Raja. Probably a good idea since we do have the occasional visit from fox and coyotes.

Raja is a beautiful bird. And I do not want to conclude that this is violent behavior. I'd prefer to think it is simply inappropriate food-seeking behavior.

But how do we help Raja change the behavior?

thanks in advance,

John

 

[JLcribber]

Yet another example of how "imprinting" can backfire. This bird learned the behaviour when it was young I assume. Extremely hard to undo at this point.

I'm also guessing he gets quite a reaction from visitors which would only further reinforce the behaviour. Unless every single visitor participates in trying to change the behaviour by ignoring it, your caught between a rock and a hard place. There's no easy answer to this one short of keeping the bird and the people separate.

I hope a solution can be reached for everyone. It's not the birds fault. You can blame this one on the humans (again),

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

My aunt and uncle had peacocks for many years and they also had one aggressive cock who would try and terrorize people. They would have to cage him or lock him in the barn when visitors came. They never did get his behavior completely changed.

 

[MommyBird]

Sounds like a similar situation to Barbara Heidenreich and the kakapoo she trained to stop jumping on people.
Good Bird Inc Parrot Training Talk: Training Sirocco the Kakapo
Learn How We Addressed a Tough Behavior Problem | Birdlink Sanctuary, Inc.

 

[Bokkapooh]

I'd definitely suggest talking to Barbara Heidenreich! Do not fear! All behavioral issues CAN CHANGE. So please be patient with your boy. Take necessary precautions too. All animals need a warning sign. Even dogs and cats can bite/scratch.

So in the mean time, carry a stick with you. Of course don't hit him, just deter him. And keep him caged in the barn when you have visitors.

Most likely this boy thinks humans are his peahens and the real peahens are just weirdos. This is what happens for ALL birds who are heavily human imprinted with no interaction with their own kind when they're young. They think they're human. Just shows how incredibly intelligent birds are (whether that be a finch, chicken, parrot..or peacock)

 

[Clueless]

I would strongly suggest talking to Barbara Heidenreich also.

 

[danadear]

"Most likely this boy thinks humans are his peahens and the real peahens are just weirdos"

 

[John_in_NC]

Thanks everyone, for the warm welcome and all the helpful tips. It looks like I've got my reading cut out for me!
John