Peacocks Aplenty: The Story Behind Original Carrollwood’s Birds

Take a trip down Orange Grove Drive on any given day, and chances are you’ll spot at least one peacock. These bright blue-and-green birds are a fixture in the Original Carrollwood community, and they have been for a long time.

According to the Original Carrollwood website, peacocks lived in the area long before the subdivision was constructed.

“The peacocks were around before World War II when the Ingram family bought 480 acres near the south shore of Lake Carroll to raise cattle and grow citrus,” the website says.

The story goes that the family was advised by agricultural experts from the University of Florida to bring in peacocks and guinea hens to help protect the farm from thieves. The birds are known for their loud, screeching calls, making them the perfect burglar alarms for the time.

The Ingram family listened, and the rest is history.

Mark Tempest, vice president of the Carrollwood Civic Association board of directors, says the peacocks add character to the neighborhood.

“Original Carrollwood, with its spring-fed lake and mature trees, is like a little natural oasis, but so close to Tampa and all modern trappings of urban life,’” he wrote in an email. “The beautiful peacocks were residing along the lake and perched in the trees long before the first homes were built here. These peacocks add to the (natural) park like setting we enjoy.”

What do you think about Original Carrollwood’s peacocks? Tell us in the comments section.