MIAMI'S AVIAN MYSTERY

Peacocks are beautiful. At least the male can be when he spreads his tail feathers, (see photo below) which he doesn't do all that often. Pea hens are slightly better looking than turkeys. But peacocks in general are noisy, pushy scavengers who often impede traffic, steal the food from outdoor pets, leave claw scratch marks on cars, and excrete on sidewalks and lawns. In short they're pests. Sometimes as many as 12 of these irritating birds congregate on my lawn, intimidate my cat, and badger me for food which I never give them. Discouraged they slowly march across the street holding up traffic to the amusement of some and the fury of others. Peacocks, as you probably know, are not native to Miami. I don't even now how they got here, since they are variously from India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. But the odd thing is that in Miami, these pests are a protected species. Which means that the city fathers and mothers couldn't care less how much damage and annoyance they create, and want them to keep at it for some inexplicable reason. So we, the homeowners and tax payers are stuck with these noisy nuisances. Lately I have noticed an influx of curly tailed lizards. I am told they came here from The Bahamas. I wonder if the  City of Miami will make them an endangered species.