Wayward Peacock Returns for the First Day of School

September 4, 2012, 8:25 pm

By EMILY S. RUEB

In a long narrow run behind the poultry house at John Bowne High School in Queens, a chastened peacock clucked quietly on Tuesday.

It was a bit of a change from August, when Kevin the peacock spent more than two weeks on the lam, evading humans wielding garbage cans, blankets, nets and nooses on the streets and rooftops of a residential area in Kew Gardens Hills.

But after his capture on Friday, Kevin's wings were clipped. On Tuesday, as teachers bustled to faculty meetings and a few early-bird students at New York City's only school with an agriculture department hauled sacks of feed and watered livestock, Kevin stood in his dog run and pecked idly at a string of green ivy climbing up the chain-li nk fence.

Jessica Arroyo, a 17-year-old student who wore a yellow “I Love Agriculture” bracelet, said that like many of her classmates, she worried about the wayward bird. But he has taken off before. “He always comes back,” she said as she paused from spreading straw for the goats, alpacas and miniature horses that live in the barn.

During his break from captivity, Kevin, who is about 5 and was named by the students, spent nights sleeping on rooftops and scavenging for grass, bugs, berries, gardentomatoes and occasional handouts of bread and cake from residents. On Friday morning, two officers from Animal Care and Control of New York City and a wildlife rehabilitator based on Long Island, Bobby Horvath, closed in on Kevin as he pecked at the ground and Mr. Horvath netted him.

“You can't catch a bird when it's looking at you,” Mr. Horvath said.

Tuesday morning, in a barn not far off, a goat named Louise bleated curiously. Kevin talked soft ly to himself, nibbling on poultry-laying pellets mixed with dry dog kibble and wild bird seed. Since his return, he has declined to issue the occasional blood-curdling yowl that peacocks are known for, said Steve Perry, the assistant principal of the agricultural program at the school.

“He's uncharacteristically quiet,” Mr. Perry said.

But on Wednesday, when many of the students return from summer break to fill out paperwork and pick up their schedules, Kevin will be released from his dog run and allowed to roam the school's 3.8-acre grounds again, Mr. Perry said. He is expected to regain his voice. But he will not be flying away anymore.

“Kevin is a very good example of why it's so important to maintain clipping of wings of birds that are free,” Mr. Perry said.