Colloquially known as the peacock, the Indian peafowl (or Pavo cristatus) is a large bird native to Southern Asia but which humans have introduced worldwide. The males – peacocks – are famous for their bright blue shiny feathers and extremely large ornamental tail, which they fan out to show off the size and distinctive appearance of their eye-spotted feathers. This is designed both to impress females and intimidate other males. Female peafowl – peahens – look very different to their male counterparts, sporting brown feathers, a flash of blue on the back of their necks, and no tail fan. However, both sexes have a feathered crest on their head.
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Pavo cristatus
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Animal Facts
The Indian peafowl is the national bird of India and represents wisdom in the religion of Buddhism.
There is a direct correlation between how many eye-spots a peacock has on his tail-fan and how successful he is finding mates.
Peahens are often more aggressive than peacocks. They will fight other females to gain access to a particularly attractive male and prevent others from getting close to him.
Peacocks will moult and lose all their tail feathers in a 2 week period during late summer. They spend the winter re-growing them ready for the following mating season.
Peafowl often kill and eat baby cobras. This behaviour has lead to them being respected and revered in Indian folklore.