Common name: Peafowl
Scientific name: Pavo cristatus
Conservation Status: Least Concern
At the zoo: We have 6 free range peacocks: Chicken (12y), Ray (6y), Kevin (12y), Stuart (24y), Goose (4y), and Pigeon (4y); look for them as you walk around!
Habitat:
Peafowl are native to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Diet:
Peafowl eat insects, lizards, frogs, grains, flowers, leaves, and roots.
Median Life Expectancy:
30 years
Biology:
Peacocks (male peafowl) have iridescent blue and green plumage, whereas peahens (females) are a drab beige and white. The peacock's breeding display tail, known as a train, consists not of tail quill feathers, but of highly elongated upper tail coverts. These feathers are marked with eyespots, best seen when a peacock fans its tail. These beautiful tail feathers are dropped after breeding season.
Peafowl are well protected in their native region, where they are often kept as pets due to their economic and cultural importance. They are an extremely adaptable species and thus can be a threat to the ecosystems they are introduced into.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that a group of peafowl is called a "party"?!
