Runaway pet peacock fell in love with a couple's bathroom mirror. His owner used it to track him down
'I’m guessing he’s gone walkabout trying to find another female,' Ross said.
It was meant to be a quiet evening out for an Australian couple, but their return home took a wild turn. Geoff and Delwyn Ballantyne left their Alexandra Hills home in Brisbane for a quick coffee run. Little did they know, an uninvited guest was waiting for them inside. A peacock had wandered inside and seemed to get completely fixated on his own reflection right in front of their vanity mirror. The news was reported by The Guardian on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
An unexpected guest
"There was a lot of screaming from my wife," Geoff said. "She thought there must have been an intruder, but then she says it’s a peacock. I did believe her, but I tried not to, because it wasn’t very believable." The couple attempted to coax the bird out using water and crackers, but he refused to step away from his reflection. Wildlife rescuers were called in. They wrapped the peacock in a towel and relocated him to nearby bushland. However, the bird was far from done exploring the world. He began making afternoon visits to the nearby acreage property of neighbor Suzie Tafolo, who noticed the stray wandering around her land.
He's exploring
Tafolo suspected the bird belonged to local tattoo artist Elliot Ross, who had been searching for his missing pet peacock, Hex. Ross confirmed Hex’s identity from photos, noting his distinct plumage. Desperate to catch the bird, Tafolo turned to the internet. “I’ve Googled how to catch a peacock, which is something I never thought I’d have to do,” Tafolo said. “One of the things it says is that they love mirrors, which makes sense in terms of how he ended up in the bathroom.” Taking matters into her own hands, she carted a full-length mirror into her back shed to lure him. Ross revealed this was Hex's first escape: “We’ve got a female here as well, and she’s stayed. I’m guessing he’s gone walkabout trying to find another female. We’re hoping to try to catch him.”
Mirror and animals
According to data reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2.0% keep birds as their house pet. Moreover, mirror behavior does not necessarily mean an animal recognizes itself. Urban ecologist Darryl Jones told The Guardian that most birds interpret their reflection as another bird, often responding as though it were a rival or threat. He suggested Hex may instead have been drawn to the apparent company.
They are hopeful
Tafolo’s clever strategy appears to be working, as Hex had been returning to Tafolo’s property each afternoon and showed interest in the full-length mirror she placed in the shed. With the mirror keeping him anchored to one spot, Tafolo and Ross were hopeful the mirror might help them safely catch and return him home.
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