Blue Peafowl
Eye-catching doesn’t even cover it
Male blue peafowl, better known as peacocks, are known for their spectacular train of iridescent feathers covered in a striking eye-shaped pattern. They fan out this impressive display to attract the attention of females. In contrast to males, female peafowl have white and brown plumage, with shorter trains that lack pattern. When fully extended, a peacock’s train constitutes about two-thirds of its total length, making the bird up to 2.2 metres long from head to tail.
- IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (at relatively low risk of extinction)
- Type: Bird
- Habitat: Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka
- Diet: Omnivore – fruit, insects, and seeds
- Size: 2.2 metres long, including train feathers
- Weight: 4 to 6 kilograms
facts about our animals
Fun Facts about Blue Peafowl
Female peafowl, known as peahens, are dull in colour to help them hide with their eggs when predators are nearby.
A peacock’s train is not its tail – the tail is hidden beneath the train.
The eyespots on a peacock’s train are known as ocelli.
A peacock does not grow a train until he is two years old.
Peafowl have 11 different calls and are known for their yelling noise.
This species is known to kill snakes and mice.
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