The birds have become an iconic feature of the Ryde Hotel in Walnut Grove, California since their introduction nearly 15 years ago.

The hotel initially bought five birds, which have bred over the years to number nearly 40 – but now just four are said to remain.

Hotel staff said they had noticed there were fewer birds on the grounds, but called the police after a guest said they had seen two men put a peacock in a crate and then load it onto a truck, SFGATE reports.

Police are treating the matter as theft, with the peacocks worth around $2,000 each and the peahens around $1,000 each.

Both the hotel and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office have appealed to the public for information.