For several hundred years, peacocks have been considered the most beautiful and majestic birds on the planet. This bird with a long beautiful tail in some states is called royal. Peacocks gained their popularity for their unique tails, the plumage of which carries bizarre patterns. However, not everyone knows that this bird with a beautiful tail is a close relative of the most common chicken, which is found in almost every rural farmstead.
Although this beauty is mostly distributed in the east, she got her name from the French. The name of the bird with a beautiful tail comes from the French pavilio, which literally means “tent”. The peacock received this name for its tail, which in a loose form resembles a tent.
It is noteworthy that the peacock gained its fame not only for its interesting plumage, but also for some other features due to which it began to be domesticated. In this article we will tell you what a bird with a beautiful tail is called in different countries, as well as tell about the features of its life and habitat.
general description
Peacock has a long neck and a small head. It has a crest. It is noteworthy that in males it has a blue color, and in females it is brown. The voice of this bird is not as beautiful as its appearance. It is harsh and unpleasant for human hearing. The body of an adult can reach 130 centimeters in length and a tail of 50-60 cm. The weight of the male often exceeds 4 kilograms, the females have a smaller size.
No less interesting is the color of these creatures. This bird with a beautiful tail has a blue neck and part of the chest, while its back has a green color. The lower body is black. It is noteworthy that only males possess such a variety of colors, females have a fairly simple brown color.
Peacock tail
The peacock owes its fame precisely to the tail, which created the image of the royal bird. Interestingly, only males have them. The tail of females has a dull grayish tint. Scientists call this feature sexual dimorphism. A noteworthy fact: what people consider to be the tail is in fact a mantra. In this case, the thing is the location of the feathers. Small ones are superimposed on longer ones, which can reach more than one and a half meters. The pen itself is a set of filamentary fibers with a colorful “eye” in the end.
Habitats and life spans
This bird with a beautiful tail-fan mainly lives in Asia, America, the Indian subcontinent and on the territory of the African continent. Peacocks prefer to live in undergrowths, near rivers and lakes. In addition, in America, these birds have chosen the jungle. If there are people in the neighborhood, then peacocks move closer to agricultural land.
A bird with a beautiful tail moves fairly quickly through the thickets. Magnificent plumage has no effect on its speed.
In the wild, a peacock can live up to fifteen years. Domesticated individuals up to 23 years old. To date, the population of these birds totals only one hundred thousand heads. It is noteworthy that in India peacocks are equated with pests and ruthlessly exterminated. This is due to the fact that they like to feast on crops. In some regions, peacocks destroy entire fields of crops.
Peacock lifestyle
These birds live in small families. Such a flock consists of one male and several female. This bird with a beautiful tail leads an exclusively daily life. Peacocks can walk many kilometers in search of food. At night, birds climb onto the crowns of trees. It is noteworthy that peacocks, settling down for the night, are always turned their heads to the west. However, with the advent of dawn, they are turning eastward.
In the wild, the main enemies of these beautiful birds are tigers and leopards. Seeing their approach, the peacocks emit loud sound signals. It is noteworthy that a bird, sensing a predator nearby, can fly up. However, the peacock is not adapted for long-distance flights and therefore often dies. The short range of this bird is due to the tail tail, which interferes with aerodynamics.
Breeding
Ornithologists characterize peacocks as polygamous birds. Each male has its own "harem". It usually consists of 4-5 females. The peacock breeding season begins in mid-spring and ends in October.
Before the nesting males of these birds make unique mating dances. They open their multi-colored tail, shout loudly and shake them. At the same time, they swing from side to side, demonstrating it from all sides.
During the mating season, fierce battles very often happen between male adults. It is noteworthy that if the female does not show due attention to the male, then he can turn to her with his back. In this way, he shows her his indifference. Such courtship continues until the female is completely ready for mating.
These birds have their nests on the ground. At the same time, they choose the places most hidden from prying eyes. In rare cases, their nests can be seen on trees. If the birds live near a human home, one can often find their nests on the roofs of houses. Sometimes peacocks can occupy empty nests of large birds of prey.
Egg incubation is carried out only by the female. The incubation period lasts 4 weeks. Chicks, like other representatives of chickens, can follow their mother immediately after birth.
Peacock Feeding
The main part of the diet is grass and other green plants. However, the peacock's favorite treat is cereals and various seeds. Quite often, in their habitats, these birds become a real disaster for farmers, causing serious damage to sown fields. It is noteworthy that although the peacock predominantly eats plant foods, it does not disdain insects, worms, frogs and small rodents. If there is a pond near their habitat, then these birds include mollusks in their diet.