Peafowl Mitigation Program

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Peacocks are both a beloved and frustrating part of life in Pinecrest. The Village has a humane program to manage the population, and we want to make sure you have all the information you need. Whether you want to request a trap, learn about the science behind the program, or just share your experience, this is your one-stop page.

How It Works

Pinecrest’s peafowl are protected under County regulations, which means permanent relocation is not an option. In September 2023, the Village launched a first-of-its-kind humane sterilization program in partnership with Dr. Don J. Harris, a renowned avian veterinarian. Rather than remove or euthanize the birds, the Village uses minimally invasive surgical techniques that allow them to remain in the community while preventing reproduction.

Male peacocks receive an endoscopic vasectomy. Female peahens receive an endoscopic tubal ligation. Both procedures are performed under anesthesia and require no aftercare. Birds recover for three to four days before being returned with a colored ankle band:

Birds that have been examined receive a colored band:

  • Yellow Bands: These females have been sterilized.
  • Orange Bands: These females have been examined, but not yet treated. Seeing chicks with them is expected for now.
  • Blue Bands: These are the "honorary bachelors," males that have been humanely vasectomized.

How to Request a Trap

Click here to view form.

The Science Behind Infertile Nests

Ever wonder why you still see nests despite the Village’s sterilization efforts? It is actually by design. The vasectomies do not stop egg-laying. In fact, we want the mates of our sterilized males to lay as many eggs as possible.

This creates "infertile nests," which keep those females busy and prevent them from seeking out the un-vasectomized males who might still be roaming the Village. While Pinecrest hasn't reached every bird yet, the goal is to make seeing new chicks the exception rather than the rule in our neighborhoods.

By understanding the science behind the "infertile nest," we can work together toward a sustainable population that balances our love for nature with our quality of life.

Of the 638 birds examined as of May 27, 2026, there have been zero incidents of morbidity or mortality. This approach requires patience. Like feral cat programs nationwide, results build over breeding seasons. The Village Council reviews the program regularly and will determine when the population has been sufficiently reduced.

Legal Framework

This program operates under Miami-Dade County Code Section 5-16, which regulates the handling of peafowl in Miami-Dade County. Originally adopted in 2001, Section 5-16 prohibited the taking of peafowl except under limited circumstances. In 2022, the County amended the code to allow municipalities to opt out by adopting a peafowl mitigation plan that provides for humane removal, provided the plan is also approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

Pinecrest’s Peafowl Mitigation Policy was approved by Village Council Resolution 2023-52 and subsequently by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners in November 2025. The County also approved a similar mitigation policy for unincorporated District 12 areas, reflecting the region’s shared approach to humane population management.

For more details, see Miami-Dade County Code Section 5-16 (Miami-Dade Peacock Ordinance).

Peacocks are both a beloved and frustrating part of life in Pinecrest. The Village has a humane program to manage the population, and we want to make sure you have all the information you need. Whether you want to request a trap, learn about the science behind the program, or just share your experience, this is your one-stop page.

How It Works

Pinecrest’s peafowl are protected under County regulations, which means permanent relocation is not an option. In September 2023, the Village launched a first-of-its-kind humane sterilization program in partnership with Dr. Don J. Harris, a renowned avian veterinarian. Rather than remove or euthanize the birds, the Village uses minimally invasive surgical techniques that allow them to remain in the community while preventing reproduction.

Male peacocks receive an endoscopic vasectomy. Female peahens receive an endoscopic tubal ligation. Both procedures are performed under anesthesia and require no aftercare. Birds recover for three to four days before being returned with a colored ankle band:

Birds that have been examined receive a colored band:

  • Yellow Bands: These females have been sterilized.
  • Orange Bands: These females have been examined, but not yet treated. Seeing chicks with them is expected for now.
  • Blue Bands: These are the "honorary bachelors," males that have been humanely vasectomized.

How to Request a Trap

Click here to view form.

The Science Behind Infertile Nests

Ever wonder why you still see nests despite the Village’s sterilization efforts? It is actually by design. The vasectomies do not stop egg-laying. In fact, we want the mates of our sterilized males to lay as many eggs as possible.

This creates "infertile nests," which keep those females busy and prevent them from seeking out the un-vasectomized males who might still be roaming the Village. While Pinecrest hasn't reached every bird yet, the goal is to make seeing new chicks the exception rather than the rule in our neighborhoods.

By understanding the science behind the "infertile nest," we can work together toward a sustainable population that balances our love for nature with our quality of life.

Of the 638 birds examined as of May 27, 2026, there have been zero incidents of morbidity or mortality. This approach requires patience. Like feral cat programs nationwide, results build over breeding seasons. The Village Council reviews the program regularly and will determine when the population has been sufficiently reduced.

Legal Framework

This program operates under Miami-Dade County Code Section 5-16, which regulates the handling of peafowl in Miami-Dade County. Originally adopted in 2001, Section 5-16 prohibited the taking of peafowl except under limited circumstances. In 2022, the County amended the code to allow municipalities to opt out by adopting a peafowl mitigation plan that provides for humane removal, provided the plan is also approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

Pinecrest’s Peafowl Mitigation Policy was approved by Village Council Resolution 2023-52 and subsequently by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners in November 2025. The County also approved a similar mitigation policy for unincorporated District 12 areas, reflecting the region’s shared approach to humane population management.

For more details, see Miami-Dade County Code Section 5-16 (Miami-Dade Peacock Ordinance).

  • Media About the Village’s Peacock Mitigation Project

    Share Media About the Village’s Peacock Mitigation Project on Facebook Share Media About the Village’s Peacock Mitigation Project on X (formerly Twitter) Share Media About the Village’s Peacock Mitigation Project on Linkedin Email Media About the Village’s Peacock Mitigation Project link

    Pinecrest's peacock program has attracted national attention. Here's what the media is saying:


    Pinecrest's peacock program has attracted national attention. Here's what the media is saying:


  • About Don J. Harris, DVM

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    Don J. Harris, DVM is widely recognized as one of the foremost avian specialists in the world.

    He arrived in South Florida in 1980 after graduating from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, trading Louisiana swampland for urban Miami and bringing with him a deep fluency in wildlife and exotic animals that would define his career.

    For years he practiced mixed animal medicine, but exotic cases kept crowding out the dogs and cats. By 1990, he shifted to an exclusively avian and exotic practice. In 1996, he opened South Florida's first exotics-only veterinary hospital: Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center.

    His ties to this community run back to those early years, when he served as the veterinarian for Parrot Jungle, the same property that would become Pinecrest Gardens, where he serves as veterinarian today.

    Harris has served as president of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, president of the South Florida Veterinary Medical Association, and president of the North American Veterinary Conference, the largest veterinary gathering on the planet. He spent years as the lead national instructor for Karl Storz, the top manufacturer of endoscopic equipment in veterinary medicine, the same technique he applies in Pinecrest's peacock program. His work has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Animal Planet, and National Geographic.

    When Pinecrest needed someone with the expertise, the tools, and the judgment to build a program no other municipality had attempted, it turned to the doctor who has known these birds and this community for decades.

    Don J. Harris, DVM is widely recognized as one of the foremost avian specialists in the world.

    He arrived in South Florida in 1980 after graduating from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, trading Louisiana swampland for urban Miami and bringing with him a deep fluency in wildlife and exotic animals that would define his career.

    For years he practiced mixed animal medicine, but exotic cases kept crowding out the dogs and cats. By 1990, he shifted to an exclusively avian and exotic practice. In 1996, he opened South Florida's first exotics-only veterinary hospital: Avian & Exotic Animal Medical Center.

    His ties to this community run back to those early years, when he served as the veterinarian for Parrot Jungle, the same property that would become Pinecrest Gardens, where he serves as veterinarian today.

    Harris has served as president of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, president of the South Florida Veterinary Medical Association, and president of the North American Veterinary Conference, the largest veterinary gathering on the planet. He spent years as the lead national instructor for Karl Storz, the top manufacturer of endoscopic equipment in veterinary medicine, the same technique he applies in Pinecrest's peacock program. His work has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Animal Planet, and National Geographic.

    When Pinecrest needed someone with the expertise, the tools, and the judgment to build a program no other municipality had attempted, it turned to the doctor who has known these birds and this community for decades.

Page last updated: 29 Jul 2026, 08:28 AM