Peafowl
Indian Blue Peacock, male
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae Genus: Pavo Linnaeus, 1758
Species
Pavo cristatus Pavo muticus

The term peafowl can refer to the two species of bird in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Galliformes are an order of Birds containing turkeys, Grouse, Chickens Quails and Pheasants More than 250 The Phasianidae is a family of Birds which consists of the Pheasants and Partridges and including the junglefowl Old World quail francolins The peafowl Genus Pavo Linnaeus, 1758 consist of two Species of spectaculary plumaged Pheasants the largest of the Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for The Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus, also known as the Common Peafowl or the Blue Peafowl, is one of the Species of bird in the genus Pavo The Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus is a large member of the Galliformes order that is found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic Pheasants are a group of large Birds in the order Galliformes. In Biological classification, family ( Latin The Phasianidae is a family of Birds which consists of the Pheasants and Partridges and including the junglefowl Old World quail francolins The African Congo Peafowl is placed in its own genus Afropavo and is not dealt with here. The Congo Peafowl, Afropavo congensis, is a species of Peafowl. The Congo Peafowl, Afropavo congensis, is a species of Peafowl. Peafowl are best known for the male's extravagant tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The tail is the section at the rear end of an Animal 's Body; in general the term refers to a distinct flexible Appendage to the Torso. Courtship is the traditional dating period before engagement and marriage The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen^[1], though it is common to hear the female also referred to as a "peacock" or "female peacock". The female peafowl is brown or toned grey and brown.

The two species are:

• Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus (Asiatic)
• Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus (Asiatic)

The Indian Peafowl is a resident breeder in the Indian subcontinent. The Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus, also known as the Common Peafowl or the Blue Peafowl, is one of the Species of bird in the genus Pavo The Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus is a large member of the Galliformes order that is found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. The peacock is designated as the national bird of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

The Green Peafowl breeds from Burma east to Java. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. The IUCN lists the Green Peafowl as vulnerable to extinction due to hunting and a reduction in extent and quality of habitat.

Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Plumage 3 Behaviour 4 Diet 5 Habitat 6 Peafowl as national symbols 7 Gallery 7.1 Indian Peafowl 7.2 Green Peafowl 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Taxonomy

The Indian Peafowl is monotypic, while the Green Peafowl has 3 subspecies, P. Monotypic is an adjective that refers to a taxonomic group with only one type: In Botany, "monotypic" means that a Taxon has only muticus spicifer, P. m. imperator and the nominate P. m. muticus. ^[2] The two species are largely allopatric but will hybridize in captivity. Allopatric speciation, also known as geographic Speciation, is the phenomenon whereby biological populations are physically isolated by an extrinsic barrier

While the form of Green Peafowl in Yunnan is not separated taxonomically, it differs in a few aspects from other forms, particularly in its forest-dwelling habits, an "odd, monal-like bill", a curiously long hind toe and longer, more slender wings (K. B. Woods in litt. 2000) ^[3]. Some have suggested this is a new subspecies.

Some pheasant breeders have suggested that the Green Peafowl may have more subspecies. ^[4][5]

Peafowl have sometimes been included in a distinct family from Pheasants ^[6].

Plumage

The male (peacock) Indian Peafowl has iridescent blue-green or green coloured plumage. The so-called "tail" of the peacock, also termed the "train", is not the tail quill feathers but highly elongated upper tail coverts. A covert feather on a Bird is one of a set of Feathers called coverts which as the name implies cover other feathers The train feathers have a series of eyes that are best seen when the tail is fanned. Both species have a crest atop the head.

The female (peahen) Indian Peafowl has a mixture of dull green, brown, and grey in her plumage. She lacks the long upper tail coverts of the male but has a crest. The female can also display her plumage to ward off female competition or danger to her young.

The Green Peafowl is very different in appearance to the Indian Peafowl. The male has green and gold plumage and has an erect crest. The wings are black with a sheen of blue.

Unlike the Indian Peafowl, the Green Peahen is very similar to the male, only having shorter upper tail coverts and less iridescence. It is very hard to tell a juvenile male from an adult female.

Many of the brilliant colours of the peacock plumage are due to an optical interference phenomenon (Bragg reflection) based on (nearly) periodic nanostructures found in the barbules (fiber-like components) of the feathers. In physics interference is the addition ( superposition) of two or more Waves that result in a new wave pattern In Physics, Bragg's law is the result of experiments into the Diffraction of X-rays or neutrons off Crystal surfaces at certain angles Barbules are a part of the tree formed by Feathers: the trunk or axis being the rachis and the barbs ' the main boughs barbules are the secondary

Different colours correspond to different length scales of the periodic structures. For brown feathers, a mixture of red and blue is required: one colour is created by the periodic structure, and the other is a created by a Fabry-Perot interference peak from reflections off the outermost and innermost boundaries of the periodic structure.

Such interference-based structural colour is especially important in producing the peacock's iridescent hues (which shimmer and change with viewing angle), since interference effects depend upon the angle of light, unlike chemical pigments.

Behaviour

The peafowl are forest birds that nest on the ground. The Pavo peafowl are terrestrial feeders but roost in trees.

Both species of Peafowl are believed to be polygamous. The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage" is used in related ways in Social anthropology, Sociobiology, and However, it has been suggested that "females" entering a male Green Peafowl's territory ^[7] are really his own juvenile or subadult young (K. B. Woods in litt. 2000) and that Green Peafowl are really monogamous in the wild. The male peacock flares out its feathers when it is trying to get the females attention. Those who subscribe to this notion cite the similarities between the sexes.

During mating season they will often emit a very loud high pitched cry.

Diet

Peafowl are omnivorous and eat plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects and other arthropods, reptiles, and amphibians.

In common with other members of the Galliformes, males possess metatarsal spurs or "thorns" used primarily during intraspecific fights. Galliformes are an order of Birds containing turkeys, Grouse, Chickens Quails and Pheasants More than 250 Intraspecific antagonism means a disharmonious or antagonistic interaction between two Individuals of the same Species.

Habitat

Asiatic peafowl like the Indian Blue Peafowl, and especially the Green Peafowl, occupy a similar niche as the roadrunners, Secretary Bird, and seriemas. The roadrunners are two species of Bird in the genus Geococcyx of the Cuckoo family Cuculidae native to North and The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is a large mostly terrestrial Bird of prey. The Seriemas are a small and ancient family (Cariamidae of tropical South American Birds related to the rails and Bustards There are two All of these birds hunt for small animals including arthropods on the ground and tall grass and minnows in shallow streams. Arthropods are Animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda (from Greek ἄρθρον arthron, " Joint "

Because of human encroachment into their natural territories, peafowl and humans have come into increasing contact. Because of their natural beauty some are reluctant to classify the birds as pests but their presence can be disturbing.

Peafowl as national symbols

The Peacock has been used by many nations as a national symbol.

• The Peacock is the national bird of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

• Though the national bird of Burma is the Grey Peacock-pheasant, the Peacock is still a prominent symbol of Burma. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The Grey Peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron bicalcaratum also known as Burmese Peacock or Chinquis Peacock-pheasant is a large up to 76cm long greyish The Dancing Peacock (the Peacock in courtship or in display of his feathers) was numerously featured in Burma monarchic flags as well as other nationalist symbols in the country such as coins, medals and emblems^[8]. Early 20th century Burma banknotes also featured Peacocks^[9]. The Fighting Peacock, as symbolic representation, is also associated with decades long democratic struggle against military dictatorship in the country. The latter closely resembles a Green Peafowl, as it has a tufted crest.

Gallery

Indian Peafowl

An Indian Blue Peacock's head	Shot of a white peacock	An Indian Blue Peacock courts a peahen	An Indian Blue Peahen showing her plumage
Closeup of an Indian Blue Peacock's head	When it is not in display, the long train rests on the ground and hampers the movements of the peacock	The Black-Shouldered Peacock was once thought to be a distinct subspecies, but is now considered a color mutation	A white peacock showing off his plumage
The head of a male Indian Blue Peacock	Male Indian Blue Peacock at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton Township, New Jersey	Indian Blue Peacocks as illustrated in the First Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica	by Charles d'Orbigney (1806–1876)
A white peacock domesticated in Mexico. Grounds For Sculpture is a 35-acre Sculpture park and Museum located in Hamilton Township Mercer County New Jersey, United States, on the former Not to be confused with Hamilton Township Atlantic County, New Jersey. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc	White peacock shot in Sydney, Australia	Peacock seen in San Francisco, California

Green Peafowl

Male	Female	Close-up of a female's head
Pavo muticus muticus

See also

• Congo Peafowl
• Green Peafowl
• Indian Peafowl
• Handicap principle
• Tournament species
• Argus Panoptes
• NBC logos
• Melek Taus

References

External links

• Free online Peafowl and poultry auction site
• Private peacock site
• Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource — World Birds Taxonomic List as of 2006-09-26
• Peafowl Varieties Database
• The Peacock Pages: All About Peacocks!, An article by Lisa Johnson from the Game Bird and Conservationists' Gazette — Aspects of the cultural role of peafowl and their place in aviculture.
• United Peafowl Association Knowledge Base
• "Peacocks Swarm Couple's Florida Home" — Feral peafowls became pests for one Florida couple in 2005, a CBS Evening News story
• Peafowl in Arcadia, Living With Arcadia's Wild Birds, a pamphlet by City of Arcadia, California (pdf)
• "Behavioural Ecologists Elucidated How Peahens Choose Their Mates, And Why", an article at ScienceDaily.com
• Peafowl videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Peacock — Etymology of the word
• Video of a peacock showing of his plumage
• "Peacocks arrested in Houston " - Video of Peacocks living in harmony with a suburban neighborhood. A feral organism is one that has escaped from Domestication and returned partly or wholly to its wild state Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. Arcadia is a US city in Los Angeles County California that is located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley . . sometimes

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