An Italian seaside town has found itself besieged by a pride of peacocks, as residents complain of being “held hostage” by the colourful birds. More than 100 of the birds now roam Punta Marina, situated near the historic city of Ravenna, with locals left searching for humane ways to deal with the creatures. Residents have complained of the “aggressive, loud” birds which have pecked at both cars and people, as well as screeching at night. The peacock population soared after Covid-19 when lockdowns led to quieter streets, allowing the animals to thrive.

An Italian seaside town has found itself besieged by a pride of peacocks, as residents complain of being “held hostage” by the colourful birds. More than 100 of the birds now roam…

Local residents complain of peacocks scratching their cars, dirtying pavements, and waking them up at night with loud mating calls, with many calling for the birds to be removed.

More than 100 peacocks are wreaking havoc in the Italian seaside town of Punta Marina on the Adriatic coast, leading to local divisions over what to do about the swelling colony.

By some estimates, nearly 150 peacocks are roaming free, causing a ruckus and showing aggressive behaviour against humans, cars and urban gardens.

With Punta Marina residents loving or loathing the incomers, ‘peacock rangers’ have been appointed to defuse tensions