Bojangles

Rules for looking after Bojangles:

1. Mind his tail feathers and please do not step on them.
2. DO NOT allow him to wander off the property. He is still recovering from a spat with an overweight squirrel.
3. Make sure his water bowl is full and clean every day.
4. Don't forget to offer him the enrichment toys from our handmade collection.
5. Tell him how handsome he is every morning.
6. No matter what, DO NOT yell at Bojangles. He may be loud, but if you respect his space, he should leave you alone...usually.
7. Ensure the food given is fresh and of the highest quality.
8. He is not to stay out late. Settle him down in his quarters at a reasonable time each night. He WILL be uppity in the morning otherwise.

— A note written in silver ink on black cardstock left for Bojangles' newest attendant.

Bojangles is a young adult male peafowl. He is the current "holy bird" residing at Uxali's shrine located on the crescent island at the center of Lumisi lake. Peafowl are the main symbol for the beloved space phoenix as no other living creature looks remotely like him.

Importance

Bojangles is the newest member of the holy bird family. No one knows the exact date Uxali's followers began keeping them at his main shrine, but is has been a solid tradition ever since that has yet to be stopped. They are raised with the utmost care and are allowed to roam the shrine's property at their leisure. These birds are seen as a way to pay respect and offer praise to Uxali in a physical sense.

High Quality Bird

His special family has been carefully bred through the years. The shrine attendants would select only the best peafowl from high quality breeders to pair with whatever member was current and ready to do so at the time. Once an egg is laid, it is guarded and treated with great care to ensure the new chick in line would live to hatch and be healthy. Their new caretaker would be selected based off of who they boded with best during their early years. Anyone involved in their care is hand selected and receives a thorough background check to keep foul play to the absolute minimum.

I stared in awe at the young chick that sat in my cupped hands. I was seated on a bench in the courtyard of the shrine while the other attendants kept a watchful eye on us. They wanted to get a feel for how we got along I suppose. We stared at each other while everyone watched with baited breath. The tiny bird gave a chirp and nuzzled into my hands, seemingly ready for a nap. It was decided there would be no issue, and I was placed in charge of caring for the newest holy bird. They even let me name him! I went with Bojangles and no one could stop me.

— Mabel Fanelli recounting her first encounter with Bojangles.

A Bird With Personality

Peafowls tend to have personalities and voices that are just as loud as their colors. Most of the holy birds over the years were very active and even territorial most times. This is why it is important for staff to choose a caregiver the bird can trust while the individual gives them respect and enough personal space in return.
Bojangles is one of the more...calm birds in comparison to his predecessors. When he's not showing off or in a bad mood, he can be pretty gentile all things considered. His caretaker Mabel is currently the only one he'll willingly get close to. It can be a struggle when it comes to vet visits and such, but she can usually keep him calm. She has cared for him since he was only a few days old. Bojangles still loves showing off and making sure people know he's in charge and the center of attention. If he notices any cameras, he'll squawk loudly and put on the flashiest bird display you ever did see.

Species: Peafowl 
Gender: Male
Age: 7 Years 

Social Media Presence 

In recent years, as technology advances, the holy birds have made it onto the internet and even a few televised news specials. The shrine staff caved and created a personal website for them. It contains galleries of high quality photos, entries about anything fun the bird has done recently, and random factoids about them. There is even a page with good, accurate information for peafowl care for those who are interested in raising their own. They never leave the shrine, but sometimes visitors are allowed to see them. Interactions with the public are heavily supervised.

Favorite Foods

Peafowl are omnivores which allows Bojangles to enjoy a variety of tasty food. Each holy bird over the years has had their own preferences. He love blueberries, large mealworms, pumpkin seeds, and cherries. Although it is more of a pastime, Bojangles does enjoy snacking on the small lizards he chases through the courtyard.