SPECIES
Indian peafowl
Pavo cristatus
The male peafowl's iridescent train opens into a dazzling courtship fan.
The famous eyespots decorate long upper tail-coverts rather than the bird's true tail.
Peafowl feed on seeds, shoots, insects and other small animals.
Indian subcontinent and introduced populations elsewhere.
Where does an Indian peafowl live?
Indian subcontinent and introduced populations elsewhere.
Worth knowing
- Adaptation The famous eyespots decorate long upper tail-coverts rather than the bird's true tail.
- Ecological role Peafowl feed on seeds, shoots, insects and other small animals.
- Home Indian subcontinent and introduced populations elsewhere.
How it survives
The famous eyespots decorate long upper tail-coverts rather than the bird's true tail.
The male peafowl's iridescent train opens into a dazzling courtship fan.
Why relationships matter
Peafowl feed on seeds, shoots, insects and other small animals.
Where it lives
Indian subcontinent and introduced populations elsewhere.
Pressures and responses
Habitat changes and conflict around crops.
Maintain woodland mosaics and manage coexistence.
Sources
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology — Animal Diversity Web, Pavo cristatus
- GBIF — Pavo cristatus accepted taxon
- Smithsonian National Zoo — Common peafowl
- Journal of Threatened Taxa — Indian Peafowl status
Records of where it has been seen come live from GBIF; observed interactions from GloBI. Draft — not yet reviewed by a person.