Well this was a new one on me. Two days ago we were traveling in the hinterland of Eastern Colorado when we saw a rather large peacock crossing the road in front of us. I thought he had plenty of time to get out of our way but what I didn't consider was the three Peahens following him. Two of the three made the crossing safely but the third his my drivers side rear view mirror. The impact knocked the lower wide angle mirror off and knocked the whole mirror out of adjustment. We didn't even get to eat the peahen.
I post this only as information so others will give Giant Birds on the road proper respect. Those suckers can do some damage.
Kent, just be glad it was the mirror and not the windshield.
FOT probably has the mirror in stock. Depending on what parts were left on the highway, you may have to buy the motor as well.
We left a wide angle mirror on the highway while driving in high winds in Nebraska. It is a velcro mount mirror. The mirror took the mounting plate with it, so I had to buy a new motor assembly with mounting bracket. No peafowl were harmed in my event.
Dr. Seuss was right.
"Oh me! Oh my!
Oh me! Oh my!
What a lot of funny things go by."
Peacocks in CO ? Sure it was not a Pheasant ?
Gary B
Where we live, the big bird hazard is VULTURES (commonly referred to as "buzzards"). They are BIG (5'+ wingspan), they smell
really bad, and they don't like to relinquish their roadkill meal, even to a approaching motorhome. They will wait until the last possible moment before they (try) to take flight, and often cut it too thin. The result of impact is a NASTY mess to clean up, and in many cases broken glass or vehicle parts.
I got lucky last year in CO when a Turkey Buzzard flew up and hit the top of the WS on the passenger side. Impact was so great that the interior rear view mirror and its console were knocked off the WS and landed in the DW's lap. Miraculously the WS did not break, only left a mess of feathers and guts down the roof. And DW was now wide awake. I have heard a story of a Sandhill Crane in FL that flew up from the ditch and pretty well destroyed the RF of a MH.
Gary B
Ok Kent , so you went Peacock hunting without a peacock hunting license . If I remember right , that requires 3 lashes across the back with a wet noodle . ;D ;D ;D Brad Metzger
My neighbor hit a raccoon with his brand new Toyota and did $3000 damage. Even knocking out his A/C. I hate deer and wish the hunters would kill every one of them. As they are dangerous to cars and eat my crops.
I thought some of you might get a kick out of this little miss hap.
Gary, yes I'm sure it was not a pheasant. I'm from Kansas. Pheasants are those little brown birds that say "Bob White" aren't they?
And we were lucky in that we had a slanted windshield that moved the force of the birds impact up and to the side where the mirror was. And that it was just the little glass mirror that was glued on. The rest of the mirror is in tact. The mirror is already on its way from FOT. Mike Grimes is my friend.
Does anyone know what peacock tastes like? Don't say "just like chicken".
Oh yes, we have those in TX also. In fact, Midland-Odessa-Big Spring is right in the middle of a seasonal flyway during their annual migration. Fortunately, the cranes prefer resting in open fields and do not usually park right in the middle of the road like the stupid buzzards.
When I was at flight school at Webb AFB (Big Spring) in '69, one of the T-38's on final approach took a direct hit by a Sandhill Crane. The bird broke out the windshield, pieces of glass and crane broke the student's face shield (he sits in the front seat), and cut up his face pretty badly. The instructor had to go around, and landed the aircraft from the back seat (they loved doing that - practically zero forward visibility on touchdown). The injured student, fortunately, recovered and graduated.
I used to commute to work on a road near the Arcadia Arboretum, home to many peafowl. They have also taken over the surrounding neighborhood (the humans wish they would stay in the arboretum). I have had many near encounters with the birds, usually in small groups, often with the little ones. They use cross streets, sometimes walking or running, sometimes flying close to the ground (think big chickens) to cross the main road I drive. Needless to say, I quickly learned to slow and watch for more after seeing one, and to slow at every intersection in that part of town.
By the way, my dad had his Pierce Arrow destroyed by a similar encounter with a large chicken in Ohio in the 1920's.
This country girl was always told those little round brown birds that say Bob White.......were quail
It's kinda funny. I was born and raised in Kansas, eastern Kansas, but saw my first Wild Pheasant in Philadelphia when I was in my 30"s. (yes, there are Wild Pheasants and deer in the city limits of Philadelphia). But I really did know the difference between a quail and pheasant. Just my weird sense of humor.
Kent, The DW wants you to send her the tail feathers, she will pay postage.
Gary B
Kent,
Peafowl are a type of large pheasant so they are closest in taste to pheasants. They are not like chicken, duck, turkey or goose. Guinea fowl would be closer to peacock than chicken.
They do not have a lot of fat so the meat is a bit dry. If you are roasting the bird, use an oven bag to keep the moisture in or wrap the bird well with bacon.
Pamela & Mike
I knew a "little round brown bird" that married Bob White. They lived in Antigo, WI, one block east of the main highway (WI 45). Very happy for many, many years. >:D >:D ^.^d
Hey Guys, I was just kidding about eating the bird. These birds belonged to a farmer whom I believe probably owned a shotgun so I was not about to stop and pick up the bird, but thanks non the less for the cooking advice. Maybe next time I can at least get a dinner out of the road kill. I always like road kill squirrels and deer when we lived in Pennsylvania.