A peacock has 'moved in' on a quiet Surrey street - appearing in residents' gardens and at their windows to ask for food.

People living on Beechcroft Drive, near Guildford, say the colourful bird - dubbed Pete - was first spotted six months ago.

But no one knows where he has come from.

Residents Jim and Nicola Andy, Guildford, Surrey, 30th March 2026 // A mysterious peacock has become a neighbourhood pet for this village, as locals say they have no idea where he came from. A suburb of Guildford in Surrey started being visited by a peacock in October last year, and they decided to give him some food and name him Pete. Six months later, the colourful bird has become a local celebrity, living in the gardens of the homes on Beechcroft Drive and tapping on people’s back doors for food. Jim Andy, 79, says he was the one to discover and name Pete, after giving him some old ice cream wafers.
Residents Jim and Nicola Andy. (Tony Kershaw / SWNS)

Homeowners have since launched a WhatsApp group to monitor his movements.

And they say hungry Pete also knocks at their properties to ask for food - and has even 'broken in' to one home.

But, despite contacting wildlife charities, parks and farms, no one has claimed the peacock.

Jim Andy, 79, says he was the one to discover and name Pete.

Pete the Peacock who has made its self at home on a street in Guildford, Surrey, 30th March 2026 // A mysterious peacock has become a neighbourhood pet for this village, as locals say they have no idea where he came from. A suburb of Guildford in Surrey started being visited by a peacock in October last year, and they decided to give him some food and name him Pete. Six months later, the colourful bird has become a local celebrity, living in the gardens of the homes on Beechcroft Drive and tapping on people’s back doors for food. Jim Andy, 79, says he was the one to discover and name Pete, after giving him some old ice cream wafers.
Pete the Peacock who has made its self at home in Guildford. (Tony Kershaw / SWNS)

He said: “I just opened the curtains and he was standing on the patio. I tried to feed him but I didn’t know what to give a peacock.

“We have tried to find out where he is from but we don’t know. I was worried about him being near the A3 because he just flew in.

“He just flies from one garden to another. We all see him regularly knocking on the window for food.”

His wife Nicola Andy, 78, added: “He is amazing. He is here every day. He doesn’t want to go apparently. He is our baby.

“If he is getting fed then he is quite happy. It is a shame that he is on his own. He needs a friend. He is so beautiful.”

Pete eat a food left out by the locals including fruit, herbs, peanuts, bird seed - and ice cream wafers.

He has also become a beloved pet to some, and they even started a WhatsApp group to talk about his movements - called 'Pete’s Pals'.

Collect picture of Pete the Peacock who has made its self at home on a street in Guildford, Surrey, 30th March 2026 // Villagers have been left baffled after a mysterious peacock moved into their gardens- and started pecking on their doors for food. A suburb of Guildford in Surrey started being visited by a peacock in October last year, and they decided to give him some food and name him Pete. Six months later, the colourful bird has become a local celebrity, living in the gardens of the homes on Beechcroft Drive and tapping on people’s back doors for food. Jim Andy, 79, says he was the one to discover and name Pete, after giving him some old ice cream wafers.
Pete the Peacock. (Tony Kershaw / SWNS)

Martin Dowland, who has lived in the area for 10 years, says his garden is one of the most visited due to his herb plants which Pete loves to nibble on.

He said: “He is semi-tame. He has taken a mince pie out of my hand before. He is quite cute as well. He just lounges around being elegant.

“He came in the back door the other day. He always comes and looks at us through the window. We bought bird seed for him but he is quite fussy, he prefers herbs.

“He flew over the fence the other day and it was quite scary because he has a massive wingspan. He is basically just a big blue chicken.”

Collect picture of Pete the Peacock who has made its self at home on a street in Guildford, Surrey, 30th March 2026 // Villagers have been left baffled after a mysterious peacock moved into their gardens- and started pecking on their doors for food. A suburb of Guildford in Surrey started being visited by a peacock in October last year, and they decided to give him some food and name him Pete. Six months later, the colourful bird has become a local celebrity, living in the gardens of the homes on Beechcroft Drive and tapping on people’s back doors for food. Jim Andy, 79, says he was the one to discover and name Pete, after giving him some old ice cream wafers.
Pete the peacock outside a home. (Tony Kershaw / SWNS)

Martin says that they tried calling all the local wildlife charities, farms, and parks but nobody has claimed the lost peacock.

He added: “My cat is quite scared of him. I would rather he go home. Well, I say that I want him to go but I keep feeding him. I have a soft spot for him.

“I would like him to find somewhere that he is happy. It is quite dangerous here.”

Jenna Mackay, 36, said: “He always comes to the glass doors and my dog barks at him and he puts his feathers up. He has been around for a while now.

“He is always at the back door pecking. He is quite funny. We have no idea where he came from, he just arrived one day.

“When people don’t see him for two days, they put it in the group chat asking where he is. We all love him.

“We did feed him when he first came but then he started digging up my plant boxes so we stopped.”

Another resident, Trish Tye, 60, added: “He is coming increasingly often. I usually pop some peanuts out for him. I think we all give him different things.

“He always comes to the door and stares in, or he climbs up and looks at me through the window. It seems like he is looking for company.

“He always poos on the decking, but that is easy to clear away. He doesn’t make any sound.

“If we never fed him, I don’t know what would have happened. But he seems quite happy. He has a very varied diet.”

Peacocks are male peafowl known for their bright colours and elaborate tail feathers which are used to try and attract a mate.

They do not occur naturally in the wild in the UK, according to Help Wildlife, and will actually be 'feral birds' – those straying from a domestic collection.