A Peacock Found Staring into a Bathroom Mirror Probably Wasn’t Admiring Himself

Quick Take

• A bird in a mirror isn't seeing what you think it sees. Why birds fight mirrors →
• Pampered pet peacocks face a hidden health price for their easy meals. Compare captive and wild lives →
• Why is a bird from South Asia living in Australia, and what do the rules say about it? Explore peacocks' Brisbane origins →
• The runaway's owner turned up in an unexpected way, but catching him is another matter. Meet Hex and his owner →

A preening male peacock has been caught admiring himself in a bathroom mirror in an Australian home. The bathroom did not even belong to his owner, and his presence there caused quite a stir! We share this bizarre story and examine the wider issue of captive peacocks and why they are so keen on mirrors!

Hex the Preening Peacock

Can you imagine going out for the evening and returning to find a fully grown male peacock admiring himself in your bathroom mirror? That is exactly what happened to an Australian couple last week. Geoff and Delwyn Ballantyne had only left their Alexandra Hills home for a short time to grab a coffee. But that was long enough for Hex the peacock to get in.

According to The Guardian, Geoff Ballantyne said, “[We] assume the bird was in the front yard and as we opened the garage door, he must have walked in. Because when we got in, there he was, admiring himself.”

Initially thought to be an intruder, the peacock caused such a fright to Delwyn Ballantyne that she started screaming. At first, the couple tried to coax the bird away from the mirror with crackers and water, but to no avail. So, they called in some wildlife experts who secured the bird with a towel and released him in nearby bushland.

However, the determined peacock started visiting another local resident, Suzie Tafolo, and this is when there was a breakthrough in solving the mystery. It turned out that a local tattoo artist, Elliot Ross, was missing a peacock. His name was Hex, and he was positively identified through his unusual plumage. Now all they have to do was catch him again, which is not proving to be easy!

Why Are There Peacocks in Brisbane?

Peacocks are not a native species of Australia. They are considered livestock by Brisbane City Council, and there are regulations on how they should be kept. These birds were introduced to Australia from India during the colonial period.

The animals that we know as peacocks are actually Indian blue peafowl (Pavo cristatus). They are a native species of Sri Lanka and India but are also found living wild in other countries such as Pakistan and Burma. Here, they don’t move around very much. Instead, they stick to their patch of deciduous, open forest habitat. Peacocks can adjust to much cooler climates and can be found in urban gardens and zoos in many parts of the world.

The Highs and Lows of Peacock Lives

In captivity, peacocks rarely live more than 23 years, and the average life expectancy is around 16 years. In the wild, the average is 20 years. This difference has largely been put down to diet and activity levels. In the wild, peacocks live a very different life to those kept in captivity. Wild peacocks spend a lot of time and energy looking for food. As omnivores, they eat both plants and animals. They feed on flower buds, petals, and grain, as well as grass and bamboo shoots. These can be quite hard to digest, so they also swallow pebbles, which are stored in their gizzard and help break up grains. When it comes to prey, they eat insects, worms, lizards, frogs, and snakes. They even eat young cobras, which earns them great respect in their native range.

Captive peacocks, however, eat the food provided to them by their humans. No effort is required! This lack of exercise means that their bodies do not burn off excessive protein and calcium. These nutrients build up in their body and can cause gout and kidney failure. This often shortens the lifespan of captive birds. Pet peacocks also need to be dewormed twice a year to get rid of any parasites and prevent disease.

At least these pet peacocks avoid their natural predators, which are tigers and leopards. Their spectacular train may make male peacocks a beautiful sight, but it also makes it hard for them to spot predators. What’s more, it can get in the way when they are trying to escape!

Peacocks and Mirrors

One idea put forward for catching Hex was to use a mirror. Some online commentators claim that peacocks are attracted to them and like to check out their reflections. And it’s not just mirrors; some people claim that their peacocks are always checking themselves out in glass and just about any reflective surface.

But this habit is not due to vanity, nor do they even understand that the bird in the mirror is them. The main reason that birds react to their reflection is that they believe it to be another bird. Some birds even attack the ‘rival’ they see in the mirror, which can lead to injury.

Hex did not seem to be aggressive, so perhaps he just thought that he’d found a friend!