Peacock

A large fan to scare off predators and attract females.

It is native to southern Asia, including almost all of India and part of Sri Lanka, where it lives in forests and savannahs below 1,800 meters altitude, as well as in cultivated areas and near villages.

They have a clear sexual dimorphism; the male has a large fan-shaped false tail with multicolored ‘eyes’ displayed during courtship and has an iridescent blue head and neck. The female has a dominant brown coloration and the neck is metallic green, it does not have the false fan-shaped tail.

It is a very terrestrial bird and spends most of its time on the ground, although it roosts in trees.

The peacock is a polygamous species; males are territorial and mate with up to 6 females which they attract by fanning out and vibrating their spectacular false tail. The females then move away from the male to have the chicks. The nest is a hole in the ground made of plant matter and hidden among the vegetation where the female lays 4 to 8 eggs which she incubates for 28 days.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the wild

Critically endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near threatened

Least concern

Insufficient data

Not evaluated