Caretaker launches urgent request to relocate neighborhood peacock in San Jose named Kevin

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A long-time San Jose "resident" is looking for a new place to roost.

Because of community conflict, a peacock known to neighbors living just outside Downtown San Jose must be moved.

"I see him all the time. He's always here," David Markham told ABC7 News.

Markham is the new owner of a neighboring property. Over the last three months, he's gotten familiar with the peacock.

"When I bought the property, they had to disclose to me that there was a live peacock on the property that occasionally made loud noises," Markham explained. "So, I, in turn, had to disclose that to my new tenants."

On Facebook, hundreds are following the community page called "The Adventures of Kevin the Urban Peacock." He's named after the tall, giant tropical bird in Pixar's UP!

The creator of Kevin's Facebook fan page wrote, "Word on the streets is he once lived with several other peafowls at a church near downtown. The church decided to rehome them, but Kevin wanted no part of it. We're told he flew the coop upon transport, and the church was either unwilling or unable to catch him again. Kevin is now 'home' wherever he goes in our neighborhood, whether he's perched on a roof, roosting in a tree, or fanning his train in 'his' carport."

"He's wildlife that just showed up one day," Tania Vasquez said.

Vasquez spotted Kevin about three years ago, living in a tree behind her home. She feeds him and she considers herself Kevin's caretaker.

"Other than that, no. He's not my pet," she said.

Vasquez explained that recent issues at her complex have forced an urgent request for Kevin's relocation. It seems his growing popularity has a few neighbors "crying fowl."

"A couple of the neighbors in my complex have noticed people coming and going," Vasquez said.

For that reason, ABC7 News won't be revealing Kevin's location.

Property managers have now asked Vasquez to stop feeding the peacock, hoping he'll soon fly the coop.

"He'll move on eventually," she said. "He moved on from neighborhood to neighborhood. So, he'll move on."

Kevin's fan page continues, "It's remarkable that he chooses to stay here, where M80s, sirens, street racing, and helicopters are the norm. But as a longtime resident who's been around for nearly a decade, he's a fixture here. And we'll look out for him as long as he stays."