Portland has a very famous street called Peacock Lane. Portland’s street is famous for its Christmas lights, with nary a bird in sight. Lake Oswego also has a peacock lane and it is famous for….peacocks!
The street is Bonaire Avenue in the Lake Grove neighborhood of Lake Oswego.
The flock has been a presence on this street for at least 15 years, that I know of. The birds used to live at the Northern end near Firwood, but were moved to the Southern end near Sunset about 10 years ago.
No one owns them. Several houses feed them. I can tell you that they do fly, nesting in trees and on roof tops at night.
I’d estimate that the flock consists of about 15-20 birds, although it is hard to know for sure as they are rarely all together. Usually you see 3 or 4 wandering about. And they do wander. I have seen them as far afield as Lake Forest, where I always worry that they’ll get hit by a car.
I had a listing on Bonaire about a year ago. The excitement over the peacocks was wonderful. I can tell you that there are prospective buyers who drive this street looking for For Sale signs. People love the idea of living near this flock.
Why would it be nice? Well, these birds are gorgeous. They just seem to brighten the day when you see one. I can also tell you that they do a great job of eating spiders, slugs, and the creepy crawly things in the garden.
The down side? When they are mating, mostly in May and June, they are loud and noisy. They have a very distinct cry. When one does it, the others seem to pitch in. It’s like they’re saying “I’m over here!” “No, I’m over here!”. They like to do this 24/7. So be prepared for the cries to go on all night long in May and June.
Want to see these lovely birds? Just take a drive on a nice afternoon down Bonaire Avenue. You’ll be most likely to find them at the corner of Bonaire and Sunset.
Dianne