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Metadata
Title: Peacock
Alternative Title: Pavo cristatus
Creator: Karney, Lee
Source: WO-Lee Karney-2513
Publisher: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Contributor: DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Language: EN - ENGLISH
Rights: (public domain)
Audience: (general)
Subject: Karney, Birds, Game Birds, pheasant

Description
Table Of Contents: Peacock (bird) or Peafowl is the common name for these members of the pheasant family. Although these birds are more commonly called peacocks, that name is properly applied only to males...females are called "peahens". The young, are known as "peachicks". Two species are Asian: the common or Indian peafowl, and the green peafowl. The Asian peacocks are noted for their resplendent trains of long upper tail coverts, which conceal their relatively short tails, and are raised and spread in strutting displays. The feathers are generally iridescent green and gold and are ornamented with eyelike markings of a rich color, known as peacock blue. The same blue also appears on the head, neck, breast, and crest of the common peacock. The peahens have no trains and are less colorful than the males. Peacocks don't develop their long trains until they are 3 years old and they molt the train yearly.

Date
Available: April 19 2004
Issued: March 31 2004
Modified: April 19 2004


The Indian peafowl or blue peafowl (Pavo cristatus), a large and brightly coloured bird, is a species of peafowl native to South Asia, but introduced in many other parts of the world. The male, or peacock, is predominantly blue with a fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship.