‘You can’t train them:’ Meet the majesties of Murrells Inlet

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW) — Gamecock Nation, meet Murrells Inlet’s peacock ostentation.

Take a stroll through the popular Murrells Inlet area on any given day — particularly in the early morning — and you may spot groups of peacocks ambling about town.

If you’re even more curious, take a look into the treetops, where you might see these iconic birds nesting in the canopies.

For residents who spend their days alongside the peckish pheasants, it’s just another detail that makes the inlet what it is.

Al Hitchcock shares more than a name with the legendary director of “The Birds” — he’s the original caretaker of the strutting birds, years ago adopting a few and bringing them to Goat Island where Marshwalk goers could also enjoy them.

“I thought people would be interested in them to watch. They’re very beautiful animals,” he said.

After six years, a storm blew through and the peacocks flew off into a section of the inlet they’ve since claimed for themselves. Food is never a problem, since so many people are eager to keep them nourished.

“They belong over there. But when they were over here, I would claim ownership,” Hitchcock said. “Since they left, they deserted me and found a new home.”

Given that they can only fly about a mile at a time, the fowls haven’t strayed very far from their original digs.

Chris Gilliard, a FedEx worker, says he sees the birds often while delivering packages.

“That’s what caught my attention, was the sound when I first came out there, because I didn’t see them,” he said. “And then when I heard the sound I said, ‘oh wow.’ They’re beautiful though,” he said.

News13’s Adrianna Lawrence patrolled the inlet for two days, spotting 20 of the birds — none of whom wanted to be quoted on camera.

Neighbor Ivy Long said she’s become fond of her feathered friends.

“I love the fact that we have this ability to see this beautiful nature right here in front of our eyes,” she said. “Where else are you going to see something like this without going to a zoo?”

Other neighbors and nearby businesses say they’ve become a nuisance — mostly due to their bathroom habits and lack of boundaries. At one point, a peacock hopped atop the roof of a car and ignored demands to fly away.

“You can’t train them like a dog to go here on this fire hydrant. They could go where they want to go,” Hitchcock said.

Another challenge is population control, with the numbers jumping from five to more than 20 in about four years.

News13 reached out to the state Department of Natural Resources, where officials said they have no peacock authority, urging people to contact local animal control with problems.

Jason Lesley, a spokesman for both the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office its animal control division, said the agency is not affiliated with bird removal or relocation efforts, adding no complaints have been lodged against the peacocks.

Long said many on her street love their unique neighbors — but if the right owner came along to take them in, she’d be all for it.

“It would be very sad to see them go. But if they could go to a place where they would be able to flourish and have a better quality of life, by all means,” she said.

But really, how bad can life be when your days and nights are spent in one of South Carolina’s most popular getaways — attended to and fed by many of its adoring locals?

That next bread crumb or flower bed is always right around the corner.