Indian Peafowl

The national bird of India The Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) or Peacock is well-known throughout the world. The male’s head, neck and breast are a glossy, iridescent blue, with white patches above and below the eyes, along with a crest of upright, blue-tipped feathers on the crown of the head. By contrast, the back and wings are greyish-brown with brown barring. Undoubtedly the most striking feature of this species is the long ‘train’ of feathers at the rear, which, in the male, can encompass nearly two-thirds of the total body length. Often mistaken for a tail, the train is in fact composed of long tail coverts The female Indian peafowl or ‘peahen’ is far more understated, with a whitish face and throat, brown crown, hindneck and back, a white belly and a metallic green upper breast. The call of the Indian peafowl, which is used to advertise the presence of the male during the breeding season, but also heard in the late afternoon and after dark, is a loud, trumpet-like scream “kee-ow”.