Dunfermline Peacocks receive honorary citizenship of the city

The Peacocks of Dunfermline were officially granted city charter after laying claim to the city's parks and streets for over a century.

The colourful birds were introduced to Pittencrieff Park in 1905 when philanthropist Andrew Carnegie asked his friend Henry Beveridge to bring them from India to his hometown.

Beveridge is thought to have returned with two breeding pairs – and the Fife town has been home to peacocks ever since.

Dunfermline was granted city status in 2022 – and the Peacocks are the first residents to officially receive this honour.

When they first arrived in Dunfermline, the birds were known to regularly bring traffic on the High Street to a standstill and could even be seen wandering around the surrounding villages.

But since there was no one to care for them, they led a precarious existence.

That changed almost 10 years ago when Suzi Ross was asked by her brother, the park manager at the time, to keep an eye on her.

In 2016, a new conservation area was opened as part of a larger £1.6 million project to restore Pittencrieff Park to its former glory, and the population has grown steadily since then.

Peacocks in Pittencrieff Park Staffed by volunteers and funded by public donations, Suzi now holds the proud title of Head Peacock Warden.

There are currently 21 peacocks – a term that includes both male and female birds – including eight peahen chicks, four of which hatched earlier this month.

It costs £150 a week to feed them all.

The town's ownership rights are a time-honored honor bestowed by the city government. In practice, however, this may not make much difference to the peacocks, as they can move pretty much anywhere they want during the day anyway.

“We have two birds in particular, Andrew and Hamish, who like to wander,” Carlyn Cane, lead member of the aviary team, told BBC Scotland News.

“Occasionally they run into the road and hold up traffic. But we just ask people to be very alert when that happens and let us know.”

Most of the birds stay close to the park, returning to the sanctuary at night to be fed before heading to their roosting sites in the park's trees.

Carlyn started working with the birds as a volunteer four years ago. “I'm there almost every day and it's a bit crazy, but we love it and wouldn't change a thing.”

“They are so closely associated with Dunfermline and everyone here knows them.

“They’re just a great symbol and they’ve been in the park for so long that everyone has memories of them.”

Two years ago, the community was shocked by a break-in at the aviary involving two boys aged 11 and 13. in which a peacock named Malcolm was killed.

Another peacock named Louis was seriously injured in the incident.

“Suzi and I looked after Louis day and night for six weeks to keep him alive,” Carolyn said.

This is an isolated case, but there is also a danger from dogs that are often walked in the park.

“We have had incidents with dogs, but generally 90% of park visitors are aware of the birds and keep their dogs under control,” Carolyn said.

“But the birds can get so frightened that they just fly away. They fly into windows or walls and just try to escape. And that's how they die. And that's terrible.”

The nursing student even adopted a peahen that was disabled and could not survive on its own.

“She was diagnosed with a form of dwarfism and her legs were not fully developed, so she had to take medication twice a day,” she said. “She was my baby.”

“I had to arrange babysitters when I was on placement as she needed constant supervision. However, in September she tore a tendon and it was devastating.

“It happened very quickly and we took her to the vet and he gave me the weekend to say goodbye to her. Everyone was heartbroken when she died – she was just 16 months old.”

Wild peacocks can live up to 25 years. Male peacocks have extravagant plumage to attract mates, while females have a more sober color.

Carlyn welcomed the birds' award of the honorary title of “Honorary Citizen of the City,” adding: “They have a way of speaking to your heart, curling up and staying there.”

“Once you fall in love with her, there is absolutely nothing you can do.

“It’s good to see recognition of how important they are to the people of Dunfermline.”

Jim Leishman, Provost of Fife and former manager of local football club Dunfermline Athletic, said the birds were “very important” to the town.

He added: “By awarding them honorary citizenship of the city, we recognize their valuable contribution and promote their presence in the city and its surroundings.”