The peacock is quite rightly considered one of the most beautiful birds that live on our planet. Therefore, many will be very surprised to learn that their closest relatives are ordinary domestic chickens. After reading this article, you will understand what a male and female peacock looks like.
Short description
These amazing birds are descended from wild pheasants and chickens. Despite common ancestors, they are much larger than their relatives. Interestingly, the female peacock, whose photo will be presented in this article, visually differs from the male in the shape of the tail and color. Her body is covered with a uniform grayish-brown plumage, and her head is decorated with the same crest. The bird has a white belly and a greenish neck. Such discreet coloring allows her to perform the main function, which is to incubate eggs. If she had bright plumage, then it would not be difficult for predators to track her down in thickets of vegetation and destroy future offspring.
Where does the female peacock live?
What is the name of this bird, even the kids know, sowe will go straight to the natural habitat. Wild peahens and peacocks can only be found in Sri Lanka and India. They try to avoid open areas. Most often, these birds settle in sparse forests and shrubs. From time to time they wander into the neighboring agricultural plantations.
Lifestyle
One male needs more than one female peacock, so in the wild they gather in small flocks. They live in hilly, wooded areas. During the day they hide in shady thickets. After dusk, peacocks begin to seek lodging for the night in the crowns of trees. In general, their daily routine is somewhat cyclical. Every evening, the peacocks climb the same tree, where they rest for the night. They even try to look for food only in well-known places.
What does a female peacock eat in nature and in captivity?
The basis of the diet of these unpretentious and picky birds is cereals. If necessary, they do not disdain small vertebrates, insects and young greens.
Despite the fact that the male and female peacocks are considered granivorous, a third of their diet can be replaced with wet mash with boiled potatoes. It is recommended to add fresh, pre-chopped greens to this mixture, including meadow herbs, nettles, alfalfa and clover. In the winter and spring months, when it is not possible to give green food to the birds, grated vegetables, dust or hay flour should be added to the mash.
Regulartime they need to be fed twice a day. However, during the breeding season, a female peacock, whose photo cannot convey all her beauty, must be provided with three meals a day.
Features of keeping at home
People have been domesticating peacocks since ancient times. In those distant times, they were a true decoration of gardens and parks of noble nobles. Today, many of our compatriots are breeding these feathered beauties.
The first thing to remember for those planning to have these birds is that they need a separate cage. They can show aggression towards other birds and are able to simply peck at relatives living in the neighborhood. In order to avoid such incidents, each peacock family is advised to provide its own pen.
Ideally, they should be kept in a spacious enclosure, consisting of a foundation and a frame covered with stainless fine mesh. It is desirable that the corral, the height of which should be at least three meters, be combined with a poultry shed.
On the floor, it is imperative to pour a ten-centimeter layer of river sand, on top of which small pebbles are poured to help the birds digest solid food. In addition to the aviary, peacocks need a poultry house, which is a barn with perches and nests.
Reproduction and breeding of chicks
Sexually mature individuals are considered to have reached the age of three. The breeding season for these birds usually falls during the spring and summer months. The ritual of drawing stronglydifferent from other birds. They perform beautiful mating dances. To win the favor of his girlfriends, the male begins to flaunt his tail in front of them. Each female peacock lays five to twelve eggs. A month later, babies hatch out of them.
It is interesting that peacock chicks, whose body is covered with a grayish fluff, develop much faster than the offspring of other poultry. A week after birth, babies are already beginning to fly and lead an active lifestyle. In order for them to develop normally, they need to provide enough food and constant access to clean drinking water.
Young animals can be given the same food as adults. However, it is advisable to additionally mix kefir, cottage cheese, boiled eggs and oatmeal into their feeders. Until the age of six months, chicks are recommended to be given vitamin supplements and preparations for coccidosis.
