The intentional killings of peafowl in Rolling Hills Estates started attracting attention two years ago, and since then the deaths have neither stopped nor been solved, says the Daily Breeze. Rolling Hills Estates has a long-standing rep as a peacock zone, but while the birds have been there since 1924, they aren't universally enjoyed. Some complain they cause costly damage to homes or that they're noisy; others are fierce defenders of the birds. What everyone can agree on is that they're upset by the weird, awful serial-killing of the creatures, says the president of the homeowner's association.

In 2012, an animal cruelty group starting keeping an eye on a group of birds in RHE; to date, 47 peacocks have died, some shot with rubber bullets or arrows, others poisoned or hit by cars (the latter might be accidental). The cause of death for 11 of the peafowl is still undetermined. "There's been a large increase in the problem in the past six months to a year," says a rep for the SCPA, which is looking into the killings.

· Investigators stumped by peafowl killings in Rolling Hills Estates [DB]

· Peacocks Are an Acquired Taste Some in California Don't Share [WSJ]