Indian Peafowl [Pavo Cristatus]

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In this video, we take a look at the Indian Peafowl, also known as the Pavo cristatus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Length: 100 cm cm to 115 cm (39 in to 45 in), growing up to 195 cm to 225 cm (77 in to 89 in)
Weight: 4 kg to 6 kg (8.8 lb to 13.2 lb)
Wingspan: 1.4 m to 1.6 m (4.5 ft to 5.2 ft)

You can read more about Indian Indian peafowl - https://avibirds.com/indian-peafowl/

LIFESPAN
Indian Peafowl lives for 10 to 20 years on average, maximum longevity being recorded at around 23 years.

HABITAT
The Indian peafowl inhabits the drier lowland areas of Sri Lanka and is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent. In the Indian subcontinent, The Peafowl is mainly found below an elevation of 1,800 meters and in rare occasions can be seen at about 2,000 meters high.

It is also found in moist and dry deciduous forests but can adapt to live in cultivated regions and around human habitations and is commonly found where water is available.

In many parts of northern India, they are protected by religious practices and will forage around villages and towns for scraps as they hold a lot of meaning and mysticism in both religion and culture.

Some have suggested that the peacock was introduced into Europe by Alexander the Great, while others say the bird had reached Athens by 450 BCE and may have been introduced even earlier in history.

It has since been introduced in many other parts of the world and has become feral in some of those areas.

BEHAVIOR
Peafowl is an omnivorous bird and eats anything from seeds to insects, fruits, small mammals and reptiles.

They feed on small snakes but tend to keep their distance from larger ones. In the Gir forest of Gujarat, a large percentage of their food is made up of the fallen berries of Zizyphus.

Around more cultivated areas, the peafowl tends to feed on a wide range of crops, which include such crop as groundnut, tomato, paddy, bananas and even chilli.

Around human habitations, they feed on a variety of food scraps and even human excreta that can be found around. In the countryside, it is particularly partial to crops and garden plants, as it comes with abundance with the territory.

REPRODUCTION
Peacocks are polygamous. The breeding season is spread out and surprisingly appears to be dependent on the rains.

Peafowls usually reach sexual maturity at the around the age of 2 to 3 years old, similar to the White Stork, which seems consistent with larger birds.

Several males may congregate at a lake site and are often closely related. Males at the lake appear to maintain small territories next to each other and they allow females to visit them and make no attempt to guard harems.

Females do not appear to favour specific males and just join what is available.

The males display in courtship by raising the upper-tail coverts into an arched fan, then the wings are held half open and drooped and it periodically vibrates the long feathers producing a ruffling sound. Initially, the cock faces the hen and struts, prances around and sometimes turns around to display the tail, the money shot.

Males may also freeze over food to invite a female in a form of courtship feeding as an offering.

Males may display even in the absence of females. When a male is displaying, females do not appear to show any interest and usually continue their foraging.

TRIVIA
The Peacock is greatly prominent in many cultures, it has been used in numerous iconic representations, including being designated as the national bird of India in 1963.

A Sanskrit derivation of Mayura is from the root mi for kill and said to mean "killer of snakes", which greatly correlates in their work of regulating snake population in certain areas.

Many Hindu deities are associated with the bird, Krishna is often depicted with a feather in his headband, while worshippers of Shiva associate the bird as the steed of the God of war, Kartikeya.

The pattern seen on the end of the tail feathers of the peacock is greatly associated with deities and good luck and is often sold in tourists shops or even as normal charms, meant to be hung at home, on your neck, arm or even your phone.

You can read more about Indian Peafowl here - https://avibirds.com/indian-peafowl/

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