Birds · Galliformes · Phasianidae

Indian Peafowl

Pavo cristatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Indian peafowl is the national bird of India and probably the best known ornamental bird on the planet. The male spreads a fan more than two metres across formed from the covert feathers of the tail, covered in iridescent eyespots. It lives in open woodland and farmland on the Indian subcontinent, where it is protected by law and by its religious role, and it has been introduced as an ornamental bird in dozens of countries.

Weight

2.7 kg – 6 kg

Size

1 m – 2.3 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Family group

Lives in small family groups with close bonds.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

The fan is not the tail: it is made of the upper tail coverts, and the real tail is short, grey and hidden behind, holding the structure up from within.
The eyespots are not pigment: their colour comes from microscopic photonic crystals in the barbs of the feather, and shifts in tone with the angle of the light.
As he spreads it he makes it vibrate, producing a low-frequency sound that females sense at a distance even when they cannot see it: the display is acoustic as well as visual.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Open woodland, scrub, crops and gardens of the Indian subcontinent; introduced across half the world
Birth weight: Precocial: born covered in down and leaves the nest within a few hours
Size at birth: Precocial: born covered in down and leaves the nest within a few hours
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 29 days
Litter / clutch size: 5

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavo_cristatus

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: From April to September in India and Sri Lanka, in the months before and during the monsoon, when the males display their trains and their call carries a long way.