Peafowl

This bird’s royal-blue body is upstaged only by the magnificent array of feathers that radiate from its back.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate or warm forests
Organization solitary, pair, or muster (3–10)
Treasure none

Peafowls are a species of pheasant. Males, known as peacocks, boast brightly colored, iridescent plumage that is instantly recognizable. Some cultures also breed peafowls with white plumage that may or may not have coloration on the rest of their bodies.

A peacock displays its brightly colored feathers to impress and court peahens as well as to scare off potential predators. The colorful “eye” patterns in the feathers also make them popular symbols and decorations among fortune-tellers and royalty.

While the male variety is more commonly recognized, all peafowl have identical statistics. A typical peafowl is 3-1/2 feet tall and weighs about 10 pounds.