The peacock, which lives in India, is the most common species on the planet. This amazing creature belongs to the order of chickens. In fact, the Indian peacock is the closest relative of the common domestic chicken. It is noteworthy that this bird can also be grown at home. But, unlike chickens, the peacock spreads its tail, which is a fan of extraordinary beauty. It is for this feature that the bird began to be popular in ancient times. It was often observed in the villas of ancient Roman senators, in the gardens of Arab sheikhs and in Indian temples.
In this article we will talk about what a peacock looks like, what lifestyle it leads.
Peacock is the most beautiful bird on the planet
A person's interest in this creature is due to its external data. From time immemorial, the Indian peacock was considered an exotic miracle, which was kept by many influential people for aesthetic purposes. This bird symbolized the we alth and success of its owner. However, later the peacockstarted eating. In ancient Rome, peacock meat was fairly seasoned with spices and served at the table. It was considered a delicacy. In the XXI century, it was customary to keep peacocks exclusively as a decorative bird.
Where the Indian peacock lives
Although this species is considered the most common in the world, it lives only in a few states. The Indian peacock is found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal. In their natural environment, these birds prefer wooded areas. Often they can be observed near human settlements. This is due to the fact that Indian peacocks love to feast on cereals. Sometimes they become a real disaster for local farmers.
Description
The peacock is a fairly large bird. As with all representatives of the pheasant order, it is characterized by age dimorphism.
Adult males have brighter plumage than females. The neck and chest of males are blue in color and shimmer with a metallic sheen. In the back area, a rich green color prevails. The belly is black.
The head of the male is decorated with a kind of fan, which is a bunch of feathers. But the most important decoration of a peacock is its tail. It consists of 220 feathers. Some of them belong to the rump, and the rest make up the tail itself. The peacock dissolves it, thereby attracting all the attention to itself. It is noteworthy that the female has a duller color. Also, she doesn't have long feathers.uppertail.
Up to a year, there are practically no sexual differences in peacocks. Males can only be identified by their brown wings, but by the second year they begin to grow a tail. At the same time, it is much smaller than that of mature individuals; it lacks the famous "eyes". The maturity of an ordinary peacock comes in the third year. By this time, the bird is fully formed, but the tail can still grow for 2-3 years. An adult male has a weight of 4 to 6 kilograms and has a body up to 130 centimeters in length.
Lifestyle
In their natural environment, peacocks live either in open areas overgrown with tall grass or in forests. The activity of these birds falls on the daytime hours, and at night they climb trees to spend the night. Peacocks live in small flocks. They do not have a hierarchy as such. At dawn, the birds descend from the trees and go in search of food.
On hot days, Indian peacocks hide in the shade of tall grass and shrubs. At the same time, the presence of a reservoir is a very important factor for them. On warm summer days, these birds love to swim. It is noteworthy that in this way they not only get the desired coolness, but also cleanse themselves of various parasites.
In the evening, the whole group of peacocks goes to dinner, and then climbs to spend the night in the crowns of trees. Even at night, they do not lose their vigilance. When danger appears, they give loud sound signals. Despite their outward beauty, these birds have an unpleasant voice.
Peacock breeding
The mating season for these exotic representatives of the Indian fauna comes during the rainy season. During such a period, each male tries to occupy a small area with a hill. This is necessary so that the peacock can stand on it and show its plumage. As soon as the male senses the approach of the female, he starts this display.
He opens his fan wide and shakes his plumage. It is noteworthy that the female at this time ignores the male and pretends to go about her business. In fact, she is evaluating a future partner.
Only the largest and most beautiful males get the right to procreate. When the female has made the final choice, she crouches, thus showing her favor to the chosen one. After mating, she immediately leaves in search of a secluded place for clutching, and the male proceeds to seduce the next one.
The nest looks like a small depression in the ground. It is located mainly among dense shrubs. Peacock eggs can weigh up to 100 grams. At one time, the female can lay up to 7 pieces. Their incubation period lasts 28 days.
Chicks born quickly leave the nesting place and follow their mother everywhere. If even the slightest danger arises, they hide behind it. In the first weeks of life, babies are covered with yellowish-brown fluff. This makes them virtually invisible in tall grass.
It is noteworthy that the mother does not feed them, but only slips them food. The chicks are watchingFollow her and study regularly. When they reach two months of age, they differ from their mother only in size. At this time, they are already able to get their own food.
After two years, the chicks show sexual dimorphism. They leave their mother to start their own families. They reach puberty only in the third year.
Diet
The basis of the peacock's diet is cereals. Very often they make real raids on agricultural land. In addition, the diet of these birds includes various small insects and amphibians. If there are water bodies near the peacock's habitats, then they will gladly eat oysters and small crustaceans that live in the coastal strip. In the zoo, the peacock is usually fed the same as it eats in the wild.
People and peacocks
In the territory of modern India, the peacock is a sacred bird. According to the Hindus, he is the personification of the goddess of wisdom and the god of war. But in other habitats, this bird is unremarkable. In Pakistan, peacocks are so used to them that they do not pay attention to their nests, which can be located right on the city streets.
In some countries, the peacock is still valued for its meat, which is considered a delicacy. So, in the menu of restaurants in Sri Lanka you can often see dishes from this bird. The plumage of a peacock also has its value in holding all sorts of celebrations and rituals in a number of countries.
Today, domesticated peacocks are found mainly in India. It is noteworthy that in captivity, these birds reproduce worse. The female can lay only 2-3 eggs at a time. In addition, peacocks can not stand the neighborhood with other birds.
According to the laws of India, it is strictly forbidden to hunt these birds, but this does not stop numerous poachers. In most cases, they are caught for further illegal sale. In rare cases, for the sake of meat.
Peacock Enemies
In the wild, this bird has many enemies. Both young and adult large individuals are attacked. The greatest threat to peacocks is represented by predatory mammals. First of all, the leopard. This wild cat is excellent at climbing trees and moving quickly on the ground, and the peacock, due to its large tail, is not able to fly far. In addition to leopards, they are hunted by tigers and panthers. Young peacocks are often preyed upon by mongooses and other small predators. Large birds of prey are no less a threat.
