Peacocks are considered the most amazing birds on earth. It is even more strange that they are close relatives of ordinary chickens, which do not have the elaborate plumage and chic beauty inherent in the peacock. Although peacocks descended from wild pheasants and chickens, they are much larger than the representatives of their order.

Types of peacocks

The variety of colors and structure of peacocks suggests that these birds have many types. However, this is not at all true. The Peacock genus has only two species:

• ordinary or blue;
• green or Javanese.

These two species have significant differences not only in appearance, but also in reproduction.

Regular or blue

This is a very beautiful bird, having a purple-blue color on the front of the chest, neck and head with a green or golden tint. Their back is green, with a metallic sheen, brown spots, blue streaks and feathers with a black border. The tail of peacocks of this genus is brown, the uppertail feathers are green, having round spots with a black spot in the center. The legs are bluish-gray, the beak is pink.

The length of the male is from one hundred eighty to two hundred and thirty centimeters. Its tail can reach fifty centimeters in length, and the tail plume is about one and a half meters.

Female This type of peacock has an earthy-brown upper body with a wavy pattern, a green, shiny chest, upper back and lower neck. Its throat and sides of its head are white, and there is a stripe near its eyes. On the head of the female there is a crest of brown color with a green tint.

The length of the female is from ninety centimeters to one meter. Her tail is about thirty-seven centimeters.

Two subspecies of the common peacock are common on the island Sri Lanka and India. The black-winged peacock (one of the subspecies) has wings with a bluish tint and black shiny shoulders. The female of this peacock has a lighter color, her neck and back are covered with yellowish and brown streaks.

Green or Javanese

Birds of this species live in Southeast Asia. Unlike the ordinary one, the green peacock is much larger, has a brighter color, plumage with a metallic tint, a longer neck, legs and crest on the head. The tail of a bird of this species is flat (in most pheasants it is roof-shaped).

The body length of the male can reach two and a half meters, and the tail feathers reach one and a half meters in length. The color of the bird's feathers is bright green, with a metallic tint. There are yellow and reddish spots on his chest. On the bird's head there is a small crest of completely lowered feathers.

Female peacocks or peahens

Female peacocks are called Peahens. They are slightly smaller than males and have a uniform color of feathers and crest on the head.

All species of peacocks belong to the order Gallinae. This is partly why they exhibit sexual dimorphism—differences in appearance between females and males. Female peacocks have a modest and touching beauty, are excellent mothers and can become a real decoration of the yard along with males.

The question of what a female peacock is called is perplexing for many. The answer options are very different - hen, hen, peacock.

However, the correct name for a peacock girl is peahen. This is a scientific and everyday term.

It is quite easy to distinguish a peahen from a peacock. It has a more modest coloration and does not grow long tail feathers. However, it cannot be called gray and inconspicuous. The color of the plumage depends on the species and color subspecies (the common peacock has more than one hundred and fifty artificially bred colors). The main task of a peacock girl is to hatch eggs and hatch chicks, which means the catchy coloring will attract attention and become noticeable against the background of the bushes.

The peacock has variegated colors to attract the attention of its partner.

Variety of colors of peacocks

Female peacocks

African subspecies

The Congolese species of peacock is rarer and not many people know about its existence. The birds are small, very cautious and secretive, preferring to nest in places that are difficult for humans to reach. Female African peacocks have small spurs on their legs. The head of the peahen is almost devoid of feathers, and the skin is grayish-brown or brown. The plumage of the neck is a rich red color. The neat head is decorated with a crest of chestnut, brown or greenish-brown feathers. The tail feathers are most often black. The plumage of the back and wings is of all shades of green, from very dark, almost black, to emerald. Each feather has a dark edge and longitudinal brownish stripes. The peahen's plumage has a rich metallic sheen. The body length of the female African subspecies of peacock does not exceed fifty centimeters.

Javan subspecies

The female Javan peacock looks very similar to the male. However, it is smaller and does not have beautiful rump feathers. The plumage of the neck and head is greenish-brown, some feathers shine gold in the sun. The crest is usually of the same tone. The area around the eyes is blue, gray-blue or gray in color. The feathers of the lower part of the neck are colored green and very rich in color. They have a greenish border with a pattern resembling scales. The upper part of the back, as well as the chest, are blue-green, with an abundance of red and yellow spots. In the tail area there are feathers with a beautiful bronze-copper tint. The color of the legs is most often gray, and the beak is black.

Male peacock

African subspecies

The male Congolese peacock differs from his relatives in that he does not grow the famous upper tail feathers and does not have such a catchy and bright appearance. The plumage of the male is very modest and in many ways similar to the plumage of the female. The paws of the male peacock are decorated with long and sharp spurs. The head is devoid of feathers, and the skin is most often dark brown or greenish brown. The crest is golden brown, golden green, chocolate or dark gray. The tail feathers are black, with a bronze tint. The body plumage of the bird ranges from dark green to light gray-green. The length of the male's body including the tail is no more than one meter.

Javan subspecies

The male Javan peacock is distinguished by its beauty and long, sometimes up to two meters, tail feathers. The color of the plumage and feather pattern are in many ways similar to the plumage of the female, however, all colors are much brighter and more saturated, with a characteristic golden sheen. By the beginning of the breeding season, males grow long tail feathers, which many confuse with a tail. The feathers consist of a strong axis, long silky hairs, painted in bright green in a variety of shades - from black-green to turquoise, bluish-green and even yellow-green. The feathers end in a kind of fan with a pattern reminiscent of an eye.

Common peacock

Female peacock

The color of the common peahen depends on its color form. She is slightly smaller in size than her life partner. The body length rarely exceeds 100 cm. The natural wild color is dark brown, the feathers have a black edge, the bottom of the neck is dark green or dark blue. The neat head is decorated with a tuft of golden-brown, gray-brown, gray or dark brown feathers.

Male peacock

Ordinary male peacocks are quite beautiful in their natural wild coloring: the plumage of the neat head, neck, and chest is a rich blue color that has a violet glow in the sun. On the back the feathers are blue-green, dark green or emerald green. The bottom of the body is painted in dark colors - dark chocolate, black, dark blue. The crest consists of blue or green, purple feathers. The tail feathers are most often brown.

One of the natural colors of the common peacock is white. The white peacock is not an albino at all, although many people think so.

White coloring is a consequence of the influence of the autosomal dominant W gene. Birds have snow-white, even plumage, without any colored inclusions. Blue eyes. Female white peacocks have the same plumage color as males.

In addition to the wild, that is, natural and white color, there are eight more main colors of the plumage of ordinary peacocks:

• Charcoal or black,
• Cameo,
• Buford or bronze color,
• Peach,
• Purple,
• Opal,
• Midnight or smoky
• Green-yellow.

Each of the main plumage colors can have up to twenty varieties. The female peacock color forms have the same coloring as the males, but in a more modest form. This is due to the fact that all these color forms were bred under artificial conditions and females do not need to beware of predators when breeding offspring.

Features of feeding female peacocks

When breeding birds at home, the maintenance of female and male peacocks does not differ in any way. The only exception is feeding peahens during the breeding season. At this time, they need additional nutrition, vitamins and supplements.

The standard daily diet of a peacock looks like this:

• about 55 - 60 grams of corn, crushed grains are better,
• 40-45 grams of oats or barley grains,
• up to 100 grams of various grain waste,
• 40 -45 grams of herbal flour,
• 100 - 150 grams of clean and chopped vegetables,
• fresh grass or hay - as much as possible.

With the arrival of spring, females begin to prepare for the breeding season and egg laying.

During this period, it is necessary to add meat and bone meal to the main diet - up to ten grams per day for each bird, up to one hundred grams of boiled and chopped potatoes, about 100 grams of succulent feed (vegetables, fruits, root vegetables), and up to two hundred grams of protein feed ( It is recommended to give cottage cheese, fish or minced meat, legumes). During the same period, the need for peahen for minerals increases. To replenish the balance and satisfy the bird’s needs, a mixture of chalk, small shell rock and crushed egg shells, calcium, ordinary clay and sulfur is placed in a separate feeder. A good feed for peahens during the breeding season will be various insect larvae and fish fry, as well as boiled shellfish and earthworms.

Many of us are familiar with the expression “Walks like a peahen,” but few people think that this name means a female peacock. Yes, indeed, if we observe these birds for a long time, we will see that they are very graceful, calm and even a little slow. By the way, the peacock is the largest bird species among chickens. And also the most beautiful. Therefore, if someone tells you that you are a peahen, do not be offended. This is a wonderful compliment! Appreciate their beauty in the photo.

Are there any differences from the male?

Like chickens, the female peacock is very different in beauty from the male. The first is that it does not have beautiful multi-colored plumage on the tail, the second is that the color is duller and more uniform. For example, females of the most common species of peacocks, the common blue one, have a uniform grayish plumage, while the males show off multi-colored plumage. The head and neck of the male species are painted bright blue, the back shimmers with green and golden feathers, and the ends of the wings are orange. The only thing that is present in both sexes is a beautiful crest on the head in the form of a small crown. Only in females it also has a gray-brown color, and in males it is blue.

However, it cannot be said that the females are less beautiful; they are also very cute and attractive, as can be seen in the photo. For example, the same common blue species has a shiny upper back and chest, and a beautiful combination of colors on the head and neck. The black-winged peahen has yellowish-brown plumage on the upper body. But we can talk about it in general for a very long time. This is a special species that is distinguished by its extraordinary beauty.

It is known that the male’s tail is a kind of attraction for girlfriends. Many people know that he fluffs it and waves it in order to attract the attention of the female. But as it turns out, peahens don't actually pay much attention to their tail feathers. This statement was recently made by American scientists from Duke University in Durham. After conducting several studies and observations of these birds, they learned that females are attracted to exceptionally bright colors and then at a great distance.

When they meet, peahens do not look at the beauty of the tail, but rather evaluate the lower part of the male. It is assumed that birds use it to determine the age of their partner. But a bright tail is a guarantee that in the thick grass the peacock he likes will look at and notice the male.

Video “Peacocks on the Walk”

In this video you can take a close-up look at these birds in detail, and also see how the female is different and what kind of plumage they have.

There are many beautiful creatures in nature with amazing appearance. Animals and birds attract a person’s gaze; he wants to touch this splendor. Undoubtedly, the peacock is considered one of the most beautiful birds. But few people know that this proud bird with luxurious plumage has much in common with an ordinary domestic chicken. So, what kind of bird is a peacock and where do they live?

Description

Since the appearance of the peacock, a person has been interested in a number of questions: “What is the name of a female peacock?”, “What does a peacock look like”? “Where do peacocks live?” These amazing birds are usually classified as belonging to the pheasant family; common peacocks belong to the order Galliformes. In addition to its appearance, the common peacock is considered the largest of all its relatives.

First of all, what catches a person’s eye is the brightness of the plumage of this bird. The neck of the bird of paradise is long and exquisitely graceful, the head is small in size, with an original crest. Males have a blue crest, matching the color of the rest of the plumage, while females have a brown crest.

The bird itself is large, its height reaches about 125 cm, its weight ranges between 4.2 kg. The length of the tail is average, about 45 cm. The female peacock, as a rule, is smaller than the male, and the color of its plumage is different: females have brown plumage. Males have brighter plumage; green, blue, and black shades are often found.

Despite all its external beauty, the bird's voice is extremely unpleasant. It makes sharp guttural sounds that are unpleasant to the human ear.

The tail of representatives of this breed is decorated with an ornament vaguely reminiscent of an “eye”. Moreover, nature awarded the fan-shaped, beautiful tail exclusively to males; females were not lucky in this regard. The tail of females does not play with such bright colors as that of males; it is more restrained, designed in dark brown tones. The tail feathers are actually different lengths and grow overlapping each other. This fact is the secret of the peacock’s lush tail.

Types of peacocks

Birds of paradise are indistinguishable from each other in body structure and other physiological characteristics. They are divided into species due to the different colors of their plumage. The following shades of plumage are distinguished:

• white;
• wild;
• peach;
• carbonic;
• motley dark;
• lavender;
• cameo;
• purple;
• opal;
• midnight;
• yellow-green;

In total, there are three types of representatives of this species in nature, which, in turn, have subspecies. The main types include:

1. Common or Indian peacock.
2. Green.
3. African.

An ordinary representative of this breed, in turn, is divided into white And black-winged. Whites are considered the most common variety of the common peacock. This is a large bird with snow-white plumage and blue eyes.

The black-winged representative of this family is considered a variety of the common peacock; it has black plumage with a bluish tint. The female is lighter than the male, they have brown and yellow spots on their back.

The Indian peacock is one of a kind and has no subspecies.

Green a representative of the family is considered a variety of representatives of Asian breeds; it is somewhat larger than an ordinary peacock, its plumage is brighter, and has a metallic sheen. The limbs are longer, the crest and neck are also larger than the common one, but the voice is more melodious and pleasant. Weight fluctuates around 5 kg.

Java green, Indo-Chinese And Burmese peacocks are considered a subspecies of the green. They got their name due to their habitats. These are large birds whose plumage is dominated by green shades. The feathers, especially on the tail, have a certain metallic sheen.

Congolese peacock is also called African. This bird is the largest, its height reaches about 70-75 cm. Females and males are poorly distinguishable. The plumage is dominated by blue, purple, and green shades. Monogamous by nature.

Habitat

The main places of residence of these amazing creatures are India and Sri Lanka. It is not difficult to guess that it was here that the Indian representative of this breed was first discovered. Representatives of this species live in almost all zoos and zoos in the world.

Some representatives of these species live in Malaysia, on the island of Java. It is known for certain from the archives that peacocks were loved by royal families; they were specially bred in palaces as decoration for the royal court.

Man domesticated the peacock a long time ago. Exotic lovers breed beautiful birds in their backyards, mainly for the beauty of the tail.

For birds of this breed, the presence of bushes is extremely important. In its natural habitat, the bird chooses an area with densely growing bushes; it is most convenient to roost there, rest and hide from enemies.

The bird of paradise is very fond of bodies of water; there are many insects around them, which it feeds on. In addition to such an important factor as nutrition, in particularly hot weather a representative of this breed bathes and hides from the heat in the water.

Birds of this breed are accustomed to living in small groups; families are not strictly divided by gender. They are friendly, get along easily with their relatives, and try to avoid conflicts and fights. They are active during daylight hours and rest in a safe place at night. The bird sleeps lightly and does not lose vigilance even during sleep. If a bird is in danger, it prefers to flee and does not enter into open conflicts.

Peacock feeding

These birds feed mainly on plant foods. In the wild, they eat fruits, root vegetables, and do not hesitate to feast on rodents and even small snakes. They look for food only on the ground; they mainly rest and sleep in trees.

Feeding peacocks at home

When breeding these bird breeds at home, the breeder will need to create conditions as close as possible to the natural conditions for keeping this bird.

At home, the breeder needs to create a daily diet, which should include the necessary vitamins and minerals. Cereals are considered to be the basis of nutrition; birds are fed with them once a day. In addition, you can feed the bird vegetable food and table scraps to slightly diversify the daily diet:

• dried bread;
• porridge;
• boiled potatoes;
• meat supplement (minced meat once every 2 weeks);
• earthworms;
• insect larvae;

It should be remembered that such delights are freely available in almost all specialized pet stores.

The answer to the question whether females or males of peacocks are more beautiful will be obvious to those whose knowledge about this bird is not limited to the idea that it is a heavenly creature with fabulous plumage. At the same time, some have no idea that peacocks have such feathers only in males.

The answer to the question whether females or males of peacocks are more beautiful will be obvious to those whose knowledge about this bird is not limited to

The aesthetic side of the issue in the animal world, including birds, differs from the human world. And in fact: if among people women are classified as the fair sex, then among peacocks and many other species of birds the situation is the opposite. Nature has decreed that among peacocks the male is more beautiful in appearance.

Finding out why this happened will certainly be interesting to everyone. To understand this, it is necessary to understand what kind of plumage the peacock and peahen actually have (this is the term used to designate the female bird of this species).

How a male peacock cares for a female (video)

Appearance of birds

In nature, there are peacocks that have a wide variety of colors, including white. However, a more obvious example will be the Indian species. It is considered the most common. You can understand what peacocks look like by looking at the Indian species of birds, which is not much different from others.

As already noted, the male peacock is a typical representative of the genus of those birds that attract the attention of the female with the brightness of their color. It truly has plumage of extraordinary, fabulous beauty. On the head, chest and neck area it is distinguished by a bright blue color. The feathers on the peacock's back have a green tint. The lower part of the body is black. And the ends of the male's wings have a red tint. On the small head rises a crest that looks like a crown.