MAPLETON — For years a flock of wild peacocks has roamed northeast Mapleton, neighboring Springville and into Hobble Creek Canyon.
Some residents think the colorful birds are a nuisance because they feed on their gardens. For others — non-gardeners — the high-stepping strutters are a curiosity and keep down the bug population.
Mapleton Police Chief Mike Roberts says in the summer the male peacocks' screeching disturbs the otherwise peaceful setting. They also leave droppings wherever they go.
Friday that came to a halt for 17 of the birds when police and state turkey trapper Dennis Sutherland of the Division of Wildlife shot a 30-foot by 30-foot rocket net over the fowl and gathered them into boxes for shipment to St. George, where the local Audubon Society will help them find homes. One bird was killed when the rocket blast went off, Roberts said.
Marilyn Davis of the Audubon Society expected about 30 of them.
Police counted between 60 and 100 birds running free, but residents have tallied as many as 150, homeowner Charly Hanna said.
"We just don't know" how many there are, Roberts said.
Six years ago residents counted 98 of the creatures, Hanna said. "But they keep having babies."
Although Hanna doesn't garden, she sees the peacocks looking into her windows now and then when they gather on her back porch. But her neighbors have lost entire gardens to them, she said.
"They like green peppers over tomatoes, but they'll eat the tomatoes, too. They wait until the green peppers are perfect. They also like cherries. They're quite the connoisseurs," she said.
"They really, really keep the bug population down, so I'm not unhappy with them."
The large birds make a heavy flapping sound when they fly over fences targeting neighborhood gardens.
"They fly just like old B-52s," Hanna said. "But they are out of control."
Nonetheless, Hanna likes having them around.
"I like these birds because they are good watchdogs." They don't like strangers and they make a lot of noise when someone they are not familiar with comes around, she said.
According to local lore, the birds may have begun populating when a resident brought in a pair of mating peacocks. When he left, the next property owner that took over his spread liked the birds and let them stay and do what comes naturally.
The Audubon Society's Davis is acting as the liaison for folks who want the peacocks. So far, people from Gunlock, Newcastle, Hurricane, Leeds and Veyo have expressed an interest.
The peacocks will be kept in a private pen in Mona in Juab County until their new owners can pick them up. Arrangements are made through the Mapleton Police Department, Davis said.
E-MAIL: rodger@desnews.com