Reproduction

How does the blue peafowl produce its young?

The breeding season for the blue peafowl is dependent on when the rains come.

A group of males who are generally closely related will form a lek site where they each maintain a small territory. Females then visit the males at these sites. The males do not generally attempt to guard the females. Males produce a loud call to advertise their presence.

The males display for the females by lifting their tail feathers up and shaking them.

Males have no involvement in caring for their young. They can mate with multiple partners during the same breeding season.

Once they have mated the female creates a nest. This is a shallow scrape in the ground. They line this with leaves, sticks and other material. Occasionally the nest is built on a building or they may occupy a disused white-rumped vulture nest.

In the nest 4-8 eggs are laid and after 28 days of incubation the chicks hatch. At birth they are covered with downy yellowish feathers with some brown stripes. By 2 months they have taken on the adult plumage.

The chicks follow the mother around and she looks after them. Sometimes she will carry them around on her back. The chicks generally go out on their own at 1 year old.

Sexual maturity is reached between 2 and 3 years old.

Behavior

What does the blue peafowl do with its day?

In their natural range a male blue peafowl will molt the tail feathers during August. These then develop again in February.

When foraging peafowl form small groups usually made up of a peacock and 3-5 peahens. Once the breeding season is complete the males generally leave the group while the young are being raised.

To keep clean they will take dust baths.

These birds produce a loud call which is primarily used to alert others to a threat.

These animals are active during the day when they mostly roam on the ground and seek out food. At night they will roost in a tree which affords a level of safety from predators.

Credit: Copyright. The Animal Facts.

Predators and Threats

What is impacting the survival of the blue peafowl?

Natural predators of the blue peafowl include dholes, leopards and tigers. Some larger birds will hunt them. They will ambush the peafowl before they can fly away.

Peafowl will attempt to fly away if they see a predators approaching them. Chicks are more prone to predation than adults.

The population of the blue peafowl is considered to be stable and they are thought be common in their environment.

Blue peafowl are kept domestically in a number of areas which has allowed them to spread to areas in which they did not naturally occur. They are used for food and kept as pets.

Quick facts

The peacock has been kept by humans for thousands of years. In the past they were a sign of wealth. At present they are valued for their ornamental appearance but in the past their loud call lead to them being used as watchmen.

The peacock is the national bird of India.

In Greek mythology the eyes on the tail of the Indian peafowl were said to be placed there as a commemoration of the watchman Argus who was said to have 100 eyes.

This species may also be known as the common peafowl or Indian peafowl.

A group of peacocks is referred to as an ostentation or a pride.