Fact File: Peacock

·Peacock is the name for the colourfully plumaged male peafowl and females are called peahens. They are smaller and grey or brown in colour.
·The Indian peacock has blue feathers on its head and neck, while the green peafowl has green feathers.
· The Indian peafowl is the national bird of India and is a protected species in that country. In the Hindu religion, the peafowl is a sacred bird.
·A group of peafowl is called a party or a pride. A family of peafowl is called a bevy.
· The green peahen is more colourful than the Indian peahen. Her colours are similar to her mate’s, but not quite as bright.
·The Congo peafowl of central Africa is a shy and rare bird. It is listed as threatened due to hunting and habitat loss.
·Reflection of light causes the feathers to shimmer and change colour when viewed from different angles.
· The peahen makes a nest of sticks, leaves and grasses. She lays three to eight eggs, which are incubated for 28 to 30 days. Immediately after hatching, peachicks are able to walk and follow their mother on foraging trips.
· Peacock feathers accounts for 60 percent of the bird's total body length and it is one of the largest flying birds in the world.
· A peafowl can live to over the age of 20 years.
· Peacocks have spurs on their feet that are primarily used to fight with other males.
·The Indian Peafowl, with its iridescent, bright blue feathers, is often seen in parks and zoos around the world.
·The peafowl is one of the largest flying birds in the world. Despite the long tail, it flies very well. The green peafowl can sustain flight for long distances and is known to have complex flight patterns.

Interesting Facts
Found in: India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka; Southeast Asia, and Central Africa
Habitat: Forests and rain forests
Food: They eat grain, insects, small reptiles and mammals, berries, figs, leaves, seeds, and flower parts
Size: 27 to 51 inches long, depending on species
Babies: Peachicks
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