Peafowl are three species of pheasant: the Indian and green peafowl of Asia and the Congo peafowl of Central Africa. Males are peacocks and females peahens, and the male’s “tail” is a train of long covert feathers.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
Some people keep peafowl as pets.
Do people eat it?In places
Peafowl and their eggs have been eaten, notably at medieval feasts.
At a glance
Found inAsia, Africa
HabitatForest, Grassland, Farmland
ColoursBlue, Green
SizeLarge
Length0.86–2.12 m (Indian peafowl)
Weight2.7–6 kg (Indian peafowl)
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives ingroups
Lives for15–20 years
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Indian peafowl: the Indian subcontinent. Green peafowl: Southeast Asia. Congo peafowl: the Congo Basin.
- What it eats
- Omnivores: mostly plants, petals and seed heads, plus insects, reptiles and amphibians.
Did you know
The colour is structural — the feathers contain no blue pigment.
Old peahens have been recorded suddenly growing male plumage and making male calls.
Often confused with
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