Peacock bird (Pavo): All Details

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Phasianidae
Subfamily:	Phasianidae
Tribe:	Pavonini

Peacock bird or Peafowl (Pavo) is a common name for 3 bird species in the genera Pavo and Afropavo, the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, which includes pheasants and their close relatives. Male peafowl is called “peacocks,” and female peafowl is called “peahens.” However, male and female peafowl are often called “peacocks” in everyday speech.

The blue or Indian peafowl is from the Indian subcontinent, and the green peafowl is from Southeast Asia. The Congo peafowl is the only African species and occurs in the Congo Basin. Peafowl males are known for their loud calls and their colorful feathers. This is especially clear in the Asian species, which show off a “tail” or “train” of eye-spotted covert feathers as part of their courtship ritual.

Peacock Nomenclature

There are three kinds of peafowl, and they all have different colors. They are in the Galliformes order and are of the Aves class. The Indian Peacock is called Pavo cristatus by scientists. It is the most common species in the world today. Pavo muticus is the scientific name for the Green peafowl.

The Pavo genus consists of subspecies like the Indian Peacock and the Green peacock. The Congo peafowl, on the other hand, is in the genus Afropavo and has the scientific name Afropavo congress. The pheasant is the bird that peafowls are most similar to. Both species are in the family Phasianidae and live on the ground.

How Does A Peacock Look Like?

Different types of birds have different sizes & looks. In general, these birds can grow to be about two to ten feet long and weigh between 8.5 and 13 pounds. Their height can range from a little less than three feet to a little more than four feet. The Indian peacock bird is a beautiful, bright blue color, and its long tail feathers have fancy spots that look like eyes. The name for these spots is ocelli. See the above peacock bird pictures to get an idea.

The Green peacock, as its name suggests, is usually green. When it spreads its tail feathers, it looks a lot like the Indian peacock birds. The Congo peacock is slightly different from the other two subspecies in its appearance. A Congo peacock can be brown or grey, and its “train,” or tail feathers, are much smaller than those of other peacocks.

Peahens, which are female peafowls, tend to be smaller than males and have dull colors instead of bright ones. Peahens also don’t have the plumage on their tail feathers that males do. Some peafowl is white all over. People often call these peacocks “albino peacocks.” But it’s rare for a peafowl to really be an albino. Leucism is a condition that these birds have, which is very different from albinism. Most peacocks that are white are not albinos at all.

Like many other animals, peafowl use sounds like talking to each other. A screeching sound comes in handy when a predator is nearby to warn the animal. Peacocks use a song-like sound to attract peahens when they want to mate. Peafowls can make sounds that are very loud. Peacocks also spread out their train, or tail feathers, to look bigger and scare away predators.

What Does Peacock Eat?

Peafowls eat both plants and animals, which means they are omnivores. Most of the time, these birds eat grass, roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, and other plant parts, like seeds and fruits. They also eat a lot of worms, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, like snakes and frogs.

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What Eats Peacocks?

Wild cats like tigers and leopards, wild dogs like the dhole, and even medium-sized mammals like raccoons are among the animals that eat peafowl. Predators will follow the birds and attack them if they don’t get away. When they can, they fly into trees to get away from danger.

People are also a threat to these animals. Poaching and habitat loss are two of the biggest problems people cause for these birds. Poachers kill peacock birds illegally to get their iridescent tail feathers, meat, and sometimes even their eggs, which they then sell.

The IUCN says that there is the least concern about the Indian peafowl. The green peafowl is in danger of going extinct. The Congo peafowl is on the list of endangered species.

For these birds, conservation efforts include a law to protect them, animal sanctuaries, breeding them in captivity, and continuing research and education. People can help protect these interesting animals by taking action.

Where To Find Peacocks

Asia is where these birds came from. India is where the blue Peacock first came from. Many people also ask which is the national bird of India. Remember, the peacock is the national bird of India. They are often called Indian peacocks or peafowls because of this. They occur in the wild in Africa, where the Congo peacock, which is not as well-known, comes from. In some parts of Australia, you can also find peafowls. They like to live in warm places like the desert and savannah.

The best time to see peafowl is in the summer when they are most likely to be out and about because it is breeding season. These birds are most active in the morning and right before nightfall. They also like to live near forests. You can also see these birds in zoos all over the world. Most peafowl that is kept in zoos is Indian peacocks. A lot of people also have peacocks the bird as pets or on their farms.

Where Do Peacocks Nest?

Peahens make their nests on the ground. They dig a shallow hole and put grass in it to make it soft. They usually build their nests in places where bushes, shrubs, or other plants protect the eggs from being eaten by other animals.

Peacock Reproduction

During mating season, peacocks mate with a lot of peahens. When they want to mate, they line up their cloacas, which are their parts for making babies. Once the peahen lays its eggs, it takes care of them the same way a chicken would. The time for the egg to hatch can be between 27 and 30 days. A peachick is a name for a young peafowl. The mother is the only one who takes care of each baby.

Peachicks can walk as babies just days or even moments after they hatch, and by the time they are a few weeks old, they can fly short distances. When they are three years old, they start molting, and their feathers grow back quickly. Peafowls usually live between 12 and 20 years, but some had lived more than ten years longer when they were kept as pets.

Peacock Population

The Indian peafowl’s status is “least concern,” which means that the population is doing well in the wild and is not in danger right now. There are more than 100,000 of these birds in the world at the moment. Less than 30,000 Green Peacocks live in the wild and are considered endangered. The Congo peafowl is in danger because its population is less than 10,000. That means the number of people living there is going down, mostly because their habitat is being destroyed, and they may become endangered.

FAQs

What Is Peacock Famous For?

The bird peacock has bright colors and a fan-shaped crest made of feathers with spatula-like tips. It is best known for its long train, which consists of long upper-tail covert feathers with colorful spots. During courtship, these stiff feathers are made into a fan and waved back and forth.

Are Peacocks Friendly To Humans?

People sometimes think that peacocks are friendly birds, but the truth is that they are not. They might think you are being mean if you get too close, try to touch or pluck their feathers, or try to pet them.

Do Peacocks Bite?

Even though peacocks can’t bite as hard as dogs can, they still attack, especially when it’s time for them to mate. Peacocks can scratch, peck, and jump on people, and small children are more likely to be attacked by them than adults. The birds are big enough that they could knock someone over and cause a lot of trouble, especially on a plane.

Which Country Has The Most Peacock?

Peacocks live in the wild, mostly in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Java, and Myanmar, but there is a rare species that lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. Now that you know where peacocks live keep reading to find out more about these beautiful birds and where they live in the wild.

What Is The Other Name Of Peacock?

Male peafowl is called “peacocks,” and female peafowl is called “peahens.” However, male and female peafowl are often called “peacocks” in everyday speech.