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Common Peafowl Pavo cristatus
Blauer Pfau / Påfugl
Facts: Weight: Male 4–6 kg, Female 2.7–4 kg.
Length: Male 180–230 cm, Female 90–100 cm
Food: Omnivorous. Insects, small reptiles and small mammals, as well as berries, stone fruits, figs and plants.
Habitat: Open wooded areas near wet forests and along waterways. Pakistan, throughout India and on Sri Lanka.
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Incubation period: 28–30 days
Number of eggs per brood: 3–6, two or three times a year
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The male (peacock) lives with 2–5 females (peahens). During mating season, the peacock impresses the peahen by spreading out his tail coverts whenever she is near.
The common peafowl is one of the most popular exotic birds in captivity. This is mainly because of the peacock’s beautiful plumage, but also because they prefer to stay within a specific area – like domestic chickens. In India, peafowl are protected as a symbol of the god Krishna.
One of the benefits of keeping domesticated peafowl in India is that they give off loud shrieks whenever dangerous animals such as tigers or leopards approach. In other words, they warn humans and other animals alike of approaching predators.
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