General

Common Peafowl: Peacock. Large pheasant with shimmering blue neck and breast. Face is white and head sports a fan-shaped blue crest. During courtship, long ornate tail is fanned out and held erect. Each tail feather has an eye. Female is brown overall and lacks long tail, has blue-green neck and breast, and brown crest. Juvenile resembles female but has mottled breast.

Range and Habitat

Common Peafowl: Native to southern India and Ceylon. Introduced and established in scattered localities in Hawaii (Hawaii, Oahu, Nihau, and Maui). In North America, common in zoos; small feral populations exist in southern California. Preferred habitats include lowlands and foothills.

Breeding and Nesting

Common Peafowl: Five to seven light brown eggs are laid in a shallow depression in the ground, lined with leaves, and hidden in tall grass. Eggs are incubated for 28 days by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Common Peafowl: Feeds on variety of foods, including grain, fruits, insects, and snakes. Forages on the ground; returns to the same watering hole each day at dusk before roosting in a tree for the night.

Readily Eats

Berries, Cracked Corn, Millet

Vocalization

Indian Peafowl: Male gives very loud wailing cries, often when sensing danger approaching. Honks when alarmed, especially in flight.

Similar Species

Common Peafowl: None in range.