CC SR 20200421 01 - Peafowl Census
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 04/21/2020
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA DESCRIPTION:
Consideration and possible action to review the 2019 Peafowl Trapping Program and
2020 Peafowl Census Report.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file a final summary report on the 2019 Peafowl Trapping Program
and the 2020 Peafowl Census Report; and,
(2) Direct Staff to pause the peafowl trapping program for 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT: The peafowl census for 2021, which will occur in March 2021 has
been included in the draft Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget under the
Code Enforcement program.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number: N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Kevin Le, Code Enforcement Officer KL
REVIEWED BY: Terry Rodrigue, Interim Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. 2020 Peafowl Census Report (Page A-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On August 4, 2015, the City Council adopted the Peafowl Management Plan (PMP),
which is a City-initiated plan to humanely manage the peafowl population within the
City. This is achieved by reducing and maintaining the peafowl population to th e levels
identified in the 2000 Peafowl Census Report (134 total birds, citywide). The PMP
supports the coexistence of peafowl within the semi–rural character of the City by:
● Encouraging public education and deterrent measures; and,
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● Humanely trapping and relocating up to 150 birds per year in order to maintain
the 2000 peafowl population.
At that same meeting, in response to the uptick in the City’s peafowl population, (based
on the 2014 census), and the increase and tenor of residents’ complaints, the C ity
Council directed Staff to begin the trapping of up to 150 peafowl within the following five
neighborhoods: Portuguese Bend, Crestridge, Sunnyside Ridge, Grandview, and Vista
Grande. Starting in 2017, the trapping and relocation of peafowl has occurred annually
within those five neighborhoods, and has subsequently included the Monaco
neighborhood.
2019 Peafowl Trapping Program
The five City-owned traps are placed in the enclosed rear yard of various private
residences for approximately two-week periods. As required in the PMP, the birds
trapped are collected by the City’s vendor, Wildlife Services, within 24 hours. The
peafowl are then relocated to ranches in San Diego, Ventura, Kern and Santa Barbara
counties. The table below summarizes and compares the number of birds trapped by
neighborhood between the 2015 and 2019 trapping periods.
Peafowl Trapping Summary Count
Year Grandview Vista
Grande Crestridge Portuguese
Bend
Sunnyside
Ridge Monaco Total
2015 24 48 27 27 24 0 150
2016 1 82 7 8 54 0 152
2017 0 44 0 0 20 48 112
2018 0 39 0 12 12 1 64
2019 0 34 10 1 14 2 61
Total 25 247 44 48 124 51 539
The 61 birds trapped during 2019 included 24 males, 35 females and two juveniles. The
2019’s program resulted in approximately the same number of birds trapped in 2018.
This lower level of trapping is partly because there are fewer residents volunteering t o
allow traps to be set, the long-term effectiveness of the program over the past five
years, and some trapping occurring in neighboring cities.
2020 Peafowl Census Report
Pursuant to the PMP, each year the City is required to conduct a census survey to
assess the current peafowl population trends and determine whether trapping should
resume. This year’s peafowl census survey was conducted between March 15 and
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March 20, 2020, by Wildlife Services. The census was conducted based on two types of
observations. The first was counting roosting peafowl in trees at sunrise, and the
second was using a systematic grid pattern during the late afternoon to evening hours.
Attached to this report is a detailed description of the census count (Attachment A). It
should be noted that there may be an undercount of approximately 10% due to breeding
females and limited physical access. The table below summarizes the results of the
recent census, tracks the annual census results since 2014, and compares the 2020
census with the 2014 baseline.
2020 Peafowl Census Summary Table
Grandview Vista
Grande Crestridge Monaco Portuguese
Bend
Sunnyside
Ridge Total
2020 Males 1 16 1 2 22 21 63
2020 Females 3 9 2 1 21 22 58
2020 Total 4 25 3 3 43 43 121
2019 0 40 11 4 45 36 136
2018 1 40 3 3 46 37 130
2017 0 42 9 22 40 37 150
2016 4 82 13 n/a 52 57 208
2014 Census 17 71 41 n/a 85 64 278
Difference
b/n 2014 and
2020
- 13 -46 -38 n/a -42 -21 -157
% Difference
b/n 2014 and
2020
-76% -65% -93% n/a -49% -33% -56%
As depicted above, there has been an overall 56% reduction in the City’s peafowl
population compared to the baseline census conducted in 2014, (a census did not occur
in 2015).
During the 2019 trapping program, a significant amount of feedback was received from
residents requesting the City discontinue or pause the trapping to allow the population
to stabilize. In light of the lower than usual number of birds counted in the progr am’s
neighborhoods, Staff recommends that for the following reasons, the City pause the
trapping program for 2020 until a new census is conducted in 2021:
1. Not trapping in 2020 and conducting the 2021 census will provide an
opportunity to evaluate the peafowl population data and adjust the long term
program.
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2. Feedback from the community shows support for the pause in trapping to
determine if the population has stabilized.
3. Given the need to tighten budgets in light of challenges related to the COVID -
19 health crisis, the FY 2020-21 budget can be reduced by approximately
$37,000.
If the City Council pauses the trapping program for 2020, a census will be conducted in
March 2021 for the City Council’s consideration in Spring 2021 to determine whether
the trapping program should resume in 2021.
CONCLUSION:
In recent years, the peafowl trapping and accompanying census program has
significantly reduced the peafowl population in the City. Based on the reasons stated
above, staff recommends pausing the 2020 trapping program.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendations, the following alternative actions (or some
combination thereof) are available for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Direct Staff to continue peafowl trapping program for 2020.
2. Identify alternatives to trapping for Staff to research, and for the City
Council to consider at a future meeting.
3. Reduce the number of birds to be trapped for 2020 to fewer than up to
150.
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RANCHO PALOS VERDES 2020 PEAFOWL CENSUS
Provided by Wildlife Services
This census took place between March 15 and March 20, 2020. Two types of
observations were used. The first was counting roosting peafowl in trees at
sunrise. The second was using a systematic grid pattern during the late afternoon
to evening hours.
Listed below are the total counts for each of the six neighborhoods canvased.
These numbers represent the minimum amount of peafowl inhabiting these
neighborhoods. It is possible that there could be an undercount of up to 10%.
Reasons for this would be breeding age females already nesting, therefore on the
ground in dense vegetation and peafowl occupying deep or gated lots preventing
physical access. With that being said I am very confident with the accuracy of this
count.
GRANDVIEW 4 1 male & 3 females
CRESTRIDGE 3 1 male & 2 females
PORTUGUESE BEND 43 22 males & 21 females
VISTA GRANDE 25 16 males & 9 females
SUNNYSIDE RIDGE 43 21 males & 22 females
MONACO 3 2 males & 1 female
TOTAL COUNT 121
A-1
RANCHO PALOS VERDES 2020 PEAFOWL CENSUS
Listed below are the dates, times and addresses of each individual
sighting.
GRANDVIEW
3-15-20 7:00 am three females 27110 Grayslake
3-16-20 6:22 pm one male & one female 27019 Grayslake
Overall total one male & three females
CRESTRIDGE
3-15-20 6:36 am one male 5350 Crestridge Rd
3-16-20 6:10 pm one male 5202 Middlecrest Rd
6:11 pm one female 5201 Middlecrest Rd
6:12 pm one female 5350 Crestridge Rd
Total 1 male & 2 females
Overall total 1 male & 2 females
A-2
PORTUGUESE BEND
3-19-20 6:37 am one male 21 Kumquat Ln
6:41 am one male 7 Lime Tree
6:44 am one female 12 Cherry Hill
6:47 am one male & one female 49 Cherry Hill
6:48 am one male 1 Pepper Tree
6:49 am one male 1 Sweetbay
6:52 am one male 12 Sweetbay
6:56 am one male 28 Sweetbay
6:58 am six females 30 Sweetbay
7:01 am two males & five females 82 Narcissa
7:02 am one male 80 Narcissa
7:06 am one male 57 Narcissa
7:14 am one male & one female Gingerroot
7:16 am one male 7 Gingerroot
7:18 am one male 15 Cinnamon
7:20 am two males & five females 6 Clover Tree
7:22 am three males 20 Cinnamon
7:22 am one male 9 Cinnamon
7:25 am two males & two females 12 Cinnamon
Total 22 males & 21 females
A-3
3-20-20 5:26 pm three females 5 Fig tree
5:29 pm one male 3 Pomegranate Ln
5:36 pm two males & one female 21 Kumquat Ln
5:38 pm one female 26 Fraser Ln
5:40 pm one male 12 Cherry hill
5:43 pm three females 49 Cherry hill
5:43 pm one male 8 Tangerine
5:46 pm three males 14 Lime tree
5:53 pm one male 42 Peppertree
5:56 pm one male 6 Sweetbay
6:00 pm two females 15 Sweetbay
6:03 pm one male 26 Sweetbay
6:05 pm one male & one female 34 Sweetbay
6:08 pm one male & two females 72 Narcissa
6:10 pm one male 82 Narcissa
6:12 pm one male & two females 84 Narcissa
6:13 pm one male 83 Narcissa
6:14 pm four females 57 Narcissa
6:15 pm one male & two females 2 Cinnamon
6:17 pm one male 20 Clovertree
6:20 pm one male 10 Peppertree Dr
A-4
Totals 20 males & 21 females
Overall total 22 males & 21 females
VISTA GRANDE
3-18-20 6:36 am one male 7016 Brookford
6:40 am two males & two females 6922 Brookford
6:42 am one male 6948 Brookford
6:45 am one male 60924 Larkvale
6:50 am one male & seven females 28310 Trailriders
6:57 am one male 7015 Starstone
7:01 am one male 6902 Purpleridge
7:13 am one male 78839 Cedar bluff
7:16 am one male 6812 Eddinghill
7:20 am one male 78505 Plainfield
7:22 am two males 28111 Braidwood
7:22 am one male 28253 Braidwood
7:25 am one male 6744 Lomo
7:37 am one male 28020 Ella
Total 16 males & 9 females
3-18-20 6:15 pm two males 28104 Lomo Dr
6:33 pm one male 27907 Monero
A-5
6:35 pm one male 6940 Beechfield
6:40 pm one male 7028 Golden Meadow
6:41 pm one male & one female 7003 Brookford
6:42 pm one male & one female 7002 Brookford
6:45 pm one female 6947 Brookford
6:45 pm two males 6948 Brookford
6:48 pm one male & one female 6942 Brookford
6:50 pm three females 28206 Ambergate
6:51 pm one male 6902 Larkvale
6:52 pm one male 28255 Trailriders
6:53 pm two males 28310 Trailriders
6:55 pm one male & one female 6910 Hedgewood
Total 15 males & 8 females
OVERALL TOTAL 16 MALES & 9 FEMALES
Sunnyside Ridge
3-17-20 6:37 am one male 24 Stallion
6:45 am three males & two female 9 Cayuse
6:55 am one male & five females 28345 PVDE
6:57 am two females 96 Headland
7:00 am one male 13 Headland
A-6
7:05 am one male & 6 females 2636 Sunnyside Rdg
7:05 am four males & four females 2615 Sunnyside Rdg
7:05 am one male & two females 2618 Sunnyside Rdg
7:10 am one male 28048 PVDE
7:15 am six males 28032 PVDE
7:15 am one female 28024 PVDE
7:15 am two males 27992 PVDE
Total 21 males & 22 females
3-19-20 6:33 pm two males and two females 28048 PVDE
6:35 pm two females 28345 PVDE
6:37 pm two males 26 Headland Dr
6:48 pm three males & two females 2 Headland Dr
6:55 pm three males & eight females 2615 Sunnyside Rdg
6:58 pm 4 males 2256 Sunnyside Rdg
6:59 pm four males & four females 28000 Stonegate
7:02 pm two males & two females 9 Cayuse
Totals 20 males & 20 females
OVERALL TOTAL 21 MALES & 22 FEMALES
A-7
Monaco
3-16-20
6:50 am one male 30330 Cartier
7:00 am one male 30823 Cartier
Total 2 males
3-20-20
6:25 pm one male 30131 Cartier
6:34 pm two males & three females 30422Cartier
6:40 pm one male 30823 Cartier
Total 2 males & one female
OVERALL TOTAL 2 MALES & 1 FEMALE
GRANDVIEW 4 1 male & 3 females
CRESTRIDGE 3 1 male & 2 females
PORTUGUESE BEND 43 22 males & 21 females
VISTA GRANDE 25 16 males & 9 females
SUNNYSIDE RIDGE 43 21 males & 22 females
MONACO 3 2 males & 1 female
TOTAL COUNT 121
A-8