Peacocks - Birds

Peacocks

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Peacocks - Birds - General Description

Peacock-birds or peafowl is the common name for three birds belonging to the pheasant family. The name "peacocks" should be applied only to males. Female birds are called peahens. The common (Indian) peafowl and the Green peafowl are Asian species. The Congo peafowl is native to the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Peacocks - Birds - Pictures

Courtesy of
Bobby and Aileen Castlebury © 1999
Bobby J. Castlebury

It is the Asian peacock males that are famous for their amazingly beautiful tail coverts. The long feathers are usually green and gold. Markings of blue color resembling eyes serve as an ornament. The peahens are not as colorful as peacocks and they have no beautiful trains.

Peafowl are generally ornamental birds found in private estates, farmsteads, zoological gardens and public parks.

The peafowl's head is small with a stout bill. The neck is rather long. Males have small spurs on their long legs. The body is large. Actually, the peacock's tail is short. The elongated feathers of their famous train hide it.
Scientific name: Pavo muticus (the Javanese peacock) Pavo cristatus (the common peafowl)
Life Span: 20-30 years in captivity and approximately 18 years in the wild
Length: Males are larger than females: 3-4 feet with the tail of 4-5 feet. Females are 2.5-3.5 feet. Their tails are very short.
Weight: 9-13 pounds in males and 6-9 pounds in females

Peacocks - Birds - Habitat

Peafowl are native to southern India, and Sri Lanka. The Green peacock-bird is numerous in Southeast Asia. In the wild, peacocks are found in forest regions and dense jungle areas near water. They live in small family groups. Peacock-birds have been introduced worldwide as a captive bird.