For hundreds of years, peacocks have been considered the most beautiful and majestic birds on the planet. This bird with a long beautiful tail is called royal in a number of states. Peacocks gained their popularity for their unique tails, the plumage of which bears 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, when unfolded, resembles a tent.
It is noteworthy that the peacock gained its fame not only for its interesting plumage, but also for some other features that made itdomesticate. In this article we will tell you the name of a bird with a beautiful tail in different countries, and also tell you about the features of its life and habitat.
General Description
The peacock has a long neck and a small head. On it is 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 the tail is 50-60 cm. The weight of the male often exceeds 4 kilograms, the females are smaller.
The color of these creatures is no less interesting. This bird with a beautiful tail has a blue neck and part of the chest, while its back has a green color. The underside of the body is black. It is noteworthy that only males have such a variety of colors, females have a rather simple brown color.
Peacock tail
The peacock owes its fame 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. Remarkable fact: what people think is a tail is actually a rump. In this case, it's all about the location of the feathers. Small ones are superimposed on longer ones, which can reach more than one and a half meters. The feather itself is a set of filamentous fibers withcolorful "eye" at the end.
Habitats and longevity
This bird with a beautiful tail-fan mainly lives in Asia, America, the Indian subcontinent and the African mainland. Peacocks prefer to live in the undergrowth, near rivers and lakes. In addition, in America, these birds have chosen the jungle. If there are people in the neighborhood, then the peacocks move closer to the agricultural land.
A bird with a beautiful tail moves through the thickets rather quickly. Lush plumage has no effect on her 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 has only a hundred thousand heads. It is noteworthy that in India, peacocks are equated with pests and are ruthlessly exterminated. This is due to the fact that they love to feast on crops. In some regions, peacocks are destroying entire fields of crops.
Peacock lifestyle
These birds live in small families. Such a flock consists of one male and several females. This beautifully tailed bird is exclusively diurnal. Peacocks can travel many kilometers in search of food. At night, birds climb on the crowns of trees. It is noteworthy that peacocks, settling down for the night, always turn their heads to the west. However, with the advent of dawn, they turn to the east.
In the wild, the main enemies of these beautiful birdsare tigers and leopards. When they see them approaching, peacocks emit loud beeps. It is noteworthy that the bird, sensing a predator nearby, can take off. However, the peacock is not adapted for long-distance flights and therefore dies quite often. The short flight range of this bird is due to the tail plume, which interferes with aerodynamics.
Reproduction
Ornithologists characterize peacocks as polygamous birds. Each male has its own "harem". It usually consists of 4-5 females. The breeding season for peacocks begins in mid-spring and ends in October.
Before nesting, the males of these birds perform peculiar mating dances. They spread their multicolored tail, shout loudly and shake it. At the same time, they sway from side to side, demonstrating it from all sides.
During the mating season between adult males, fierce battles very often occur. It is noteworthy that if the female does not pay due attention to the male, then he can turn his back to her. Thus he shows her his indifference. Such courtship continues until the female is fully ready to mate.
These birds place their nests on the ground. At the same time, they choose places that are most hidden from prying eyes. On rare occasions, their nests can be seen in trees. If birds live near human dwellings, you can often find their nests on the roofs of houses. Sometimes peacocks can occupy empty nests of large predatorybirds.
Only the female incubates the eggs. The incubation period in this case lasts 4 weeks. Chicks, like other members of the Galliformes, can follow their mother immediately after birth.
Feeding peacocks
The main part of the diet is grass and other green plants. However, the peacock's favorite delicacy 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 mostly eats plant foods, he does not disdain insects, worms, frogs and small rodents. If there is a reservoir near their habitat, then these birds include shellfish in their diet.
