Peacocks on the loose in Bucks County

LOWER SOUTHAMPTON, Pa. - June 8, 2012

They have been roaming through the area near the Neshaminy Creek, ruffling the feathers of neighbors and causing quite a ruckus.

Their ear-piercing screams in the middle of the night are waking people up.

"We have skylights, and we've actually seen them looking in our house and they scream out like Help! Help!" said resident Mike Foernsler.

The Foernsler family took pictures of the peacocks perched on their roof.

"It's scary because I don't know what they're going to do or why they're screaming," said Jake Foernsler.

"They walk around, they go on people's cars and their property and like guinea hens, they have claws and the claws leave marks on your car, scratches," said Trish Kisheo.

The peacocks used to stay in cages but two winters ago the cages collapsed under the weight of snow and the peacocks got loose.

Frank recaptured them, but had a change of mind and they flew the coop.

"They're just too big for the cage and it ain't right," he told Action News. "So I let them loose. I didn't think no harm would come from it."

There may be as many as 18 peacocks roaming through yards at this point. And while some residents are squawking about the noise and the bird droppings, others are delighted to have them around.

"I actually think they're pretty cool," said George Birkhead. "I would leave them be as long as they're not hurting anybody's property."

"I love 'em," said Ted Czarnik. "They're beautiful. They're a beautiful bird."

Local officials are trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Frank Yocum says neighbors should just call him if the peacocks cause a problem.

"I'm not going to roam the neighborhood looking for them," he said. "I don't want to be a stalker or something, so when they tell me I'll go over and see if I can catch them."

Meantime, Frank is hoping his special call of the wild will bring his birds home, and out of his neighbors' yards.

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