Asked by a neighbor if he wanted a peacock, Sean Flynn was intrigued, and his family became the owners of three charming yet fickle birds: Carl, Ethel, and Mr. Pickle. Sharing stories of his adventures with the birds, Flynn also notes the appeal they have held for Charles Darwin, Flannery O'Connor, and Martha Stewart. Traveling the globe, Flynn tours a Scottish castle where peacocks have resided for centuries, a California community tormented by a serial killer of peacocks, and a Kansas City hotel hosting an annual gathering of true peafowl aficionados.