Mayfield Park

Did you know that the correct term for a family of peacocks is peafowl? The term isn’t colloquially common—but neither is witnessing a plethora of the brightly colored birds strolling casually among people out in the open. That’s the norm at West Austin’s Mayfield Park and Preserve, where you and your young ones can picnic or explore the gardens while witnessing the full mating and life cycles of this fascinating, totally nonaggressive avian family, whose original descendants were introduced in 1935. Primetime is late winter (February) through Spring (April/May), when the males begin fanning their elaborate plumage to court the females—guaranteed to evoke some priceless “oohs” and “ahs” from all age groups.