High Park Zoo peacock takes high-profile escape out of sight

If the peacock that escaped from the High Park Zoo is still on the run, he is now doing so surreptitiously. 

There were no sightings on Sunday of the the large, brilliantly coloured bird that escaped last week, with officials saying they hope the bird has returned to the zoo area on his own.

• Peacock that escaped High Park Zoo still on the loose

• Peacock on the lam in Roncesvalles 

A spokeswoman for the city says animal control officers tried to capture the bird using nets and blankets, but stopped actively pursuing the peacock on Saturday because they were afraid of driving it further away.

Nicola Ware says it would make sense that the bird returned to the High Park area in Toronto's west end where the zoo is located.

Ware says the fact that the peacock had been so conspicuous – documented frequently via social media jumping between rooftops in Parkdale – means that for it to completely disappear they're hoping he's somewhere "deep inside the park" amid dense foliage.

She says residents are being asked to contact the city if the peacock is sighted. The last public sightings were on Saturday.

But Ware says she has told colleagues to keep an eye on Twitter for information on the bird.