Residents in the Memorial-area neighborhood are walking in fear due to a local gang. This gang isn’t human though, instead, they are peacocks.

For several decades, a population of peacocks, more accurately designated as peafowl, has established itself within the residential boundaries of Donoghue’s Heathwood neighborhood. These birds, characterized by their distinctive vocalizations and plumage, have been reported to exhibit aggressive behavior towards both residents and their domestic animals, occasionally entering homes and trees. Furthermore, instances of collisions with vehicles and property damage have been attributed to their presence.

It is understood that this flock originated from a privately owned group associated with Vargo’s restaurant, which subsequently closed in 2012. Since then, the population has experienced significant growth, exceeding several hundred individuals by the 2010s and continuing to expand. This proliferation has garnered attention from ornithologists and invasive species specialists within Texas, as uncontrolled breeding can exacerbate aggressive tendencies towards humans.

Dr. Fred Collins, a wildlife biologist and former president of the Texas Audubon Society advisory board, has undertaken extensive research on these birds since their initial introduction to Houston in the late 1950s. While acknowledging the nuisance factor associated with the feral population, Dr. Daniel Brooks, curator of vertebrate zoology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, expresses the possibility that their aggressiveness may be overestimated by residents.