Mirror offers hope of catching peacock after Brisbane bathroom visit

A peacock that surprised a Brisbane couple by settling in front of their bathroom mirror remains loose, but his interest in his reflection has inspired an attempt to catch him. The bird, named Hex, has been identified by his owner, local tattoo artist Elliot Ross, after visiting two properties in Alexandra Hills.

Geoff and Delwyn Ballantyne discovered the fully grown bird when they returned home from an evening coffee last week. Geoff said they believed he had been in the front yard and slipped inside when they opened the garage door. By the time they found him, he was staring into the bathroom mirror.

Delwyn spotted the unexpected visitor first and screamed, initially fearing there was an intruder. Geoff said he believed her when she told him it was a peacock, although the explanation seemed difficult to accept. The couple offered the bird water and crackers, but neither persuaded him to abandon his reflection.

Wildlife rescuers were then called to the house. They caught the peacock using a towel and released him into nearby bushland. He subsequently began making afternoon visits to an acreage property belonging to Suzie Tafolo, who also lives in Alexandra Hills.

Tafolo suspected her visitor could be the missing peacock Ross had been searching for. Ross confirmed that both the bird photographed in the Ballantynes’ bathroom and the one appearing at Tafolo’s property were Hex, recognising his unusual plumage. He has owned the peacock for a couple of years.

After searching online for ways to catch a peacock, Tafolo learned that mirrors could attract the birds. She moved a full-length mirror from her house to the back shed, where Hex had been appearing each day. On Tuesday, November 3, he showed interest in his reflection, leaving her hopeful that he could soon be returned to Ross.

Ross said Hex had previously ventured onto a neighbour’s property but had never wandered away like this. A female peacock remained at his home, and he speculated that Hex might have left to look for another female.

Darryl Jones, a Griffith University professor emeritus, urban ecologist and author of Wild Neighbours, offered another possible explanation. Jones, who has studied birds’ responses to reflections, said Hex might be lonely without necessarily seeking a mate. Most birds interpret their reflection as a competitor or danger and often attack it, he said. Although two male peacocks do not commonly spend time together, they sometimes do.