Peacocks sent to farm after attacks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two peacocks have been sentenced to life on a farm after recent attacks on visitors at the Kansas City Zoo.

A 3-year-old boy from Gardner, Kan., was clawed seriously enough to need stitches on Memorial Day, the second attack in the past few weeks, zoo officials said. They did not release details on the other attack.

Zoo director Randy Wisthoff said the peacocks are in their breeding plumage season and can be easily irritated.

Katie Holladay said her son, Billy, was bending over to talk to a bird when it gnashed at his face, cutting him over his right eye and on his left ear.

"He wasn't doing anything to taunt the bird," she said. "I wouldn't say he was in its personal space. The peacock jumped on his face."

A security guard gave the boy first aid and the family was taken by golf cart to the zoo's parking lot, then to the emergency room.

"The zoo is going to take care of medical expenses, and they gave us zoo passes, which I kind of laughed about because there is no way I'm going back there as long as the peacocks are running around," Holladay said.

Holladay said the birds should be enclosed, like the zoo's other wild animals. Officials said the two birds at fault in the attacks have been sent to a farm.

"We're pretty sure we got the right birds," said Wisthoff, who said the remaining peacocks will continue to roam freely.

"The main thing is, don't chase them. Leave them alone. They're here to look at."

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com