A flock of feral peacocks known for attacking cars and waking people up with incessant squawking is finally evicted from a B.C. neighbourhood after roosting there for generations.

More than 100 brightly-plumed birds have lived in Sullivan Heights in Surrey, B.C. for decades. Their presence was divisive among neighbours, who were split on whether the peacocks were a colourful touch of whimsy or a destructive nuisance.

The birds have been caught on video attacking vehicles with their sharp beaks and talons, and some residents have reported thousands of dollars in damages. From March to October, the birds are in their mating season, a time when they are particularly loud and ornery.

After an outpouring of daily complaints about noise, the City of Surrey unanimously voted Monday to capture the peacocks and peahens, otherwise known as peafowl. Bylaw officers will move the birds and their eggs to the Surrey Animal Resource Centre, a process that could take several months.

The birds are descendants of a flock that once lived on a nearby farm. When the farm was shuttered and the land was redeveloped into a residential neighbourhood, the emancipated birds nested and multiplied.

After council passed the decision, Surrey resident Roslyn Cassells spoke up in council chambers and accused officials of not considering “the possibility of coexistence.”

“It’s just a very inhumane thing to do to trap a wild animal and they’re going to be very fearful,” Cassells told CTV Vancouver.

The city acknowledged that the birds were driving a wedge between neighbours, says Jas Rehal, Surrey’s manager of public safety operations.

“We knew the community is split on this issue, but unfortunately given the split and everything that’s happened we’ve had to take this action,” he said.

“The nuisance activity is too much for the neighbourhood, and we need to take action now to deal with it.”

Anyone caught feeding the newly-evicted peacocks will be slapped with a $150 fine, while a $450 penalty is reserved for anyone who tries to keep one of the birds.

Traps will also be provided to homeowners.

With files from CTV Vancouver