Boy recovering after peacock attack

APOPKA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The wound looks worse than it actually is, still this mom is angry at what an aggressive peacock did to her 2-year-old son.

"It was so scary," Laura Brown said.  "They just came rushing up to us. I guess they thought we might have had food." 

They were at Magnolia Park in Apopka on Tuesday,  when Brown said the bird attacked.  An incident report said three peacocks approached, when one jumped and hit her son's head and face with its claw.

"I turned for two seconds," she said. "One like flew up in the air, and it had his claws on his head. It was flapping its wings and it was so scary."

She rushed her son to the doctor. 

"There was a scratch like a millimeter from his eye.  So, we're lucky that he really has both of his eyes," she explained. "So, just really dangerous."

On Wednesday, a crew installed new temporary signs in the park, which read,  "Wildlife may become dangerous or aggressive"

A spokeswoman with Orange County apologized for the incident, adding that the birds are comfortable around people, because so many feed them.

Brown said,  "I'm happy to hear about the signs, but I'm just still concerned."

She said she wants the birds moved from the playground area.  She's  done with letting her son play in the park for a while.  The county says there are no plans to remove the peacocks. Instead, they're going to first rely on those signs.

The county spokeswoman said a child was pecked by a peacock at the park a year ago, but that incident was minor.