The peacock bird male is a part of the pheasant family. Though they are both peafowl, males are referred to as peacocks and females are technically called peahens, though most people often refer to both as peacocks. The blue, green and gold colored feathers with "eyes" in them make the peacock a strange and beautiful sight. Though they can be seen just about anywhere now as domesticated birds, they are native Asian birds and are mainly from India and Sri Lanka.
Characteristics of the Peacocks Bird Male
The peacock male bird is an unusual sight. He has a blue, green and purple body with green and blue iridescent feathers and white circular designs that some refer to as eyes. The male is fully feathered at three years of age when he begins to fan the feathers on his tail out to attract the nearest female peahen. Mating begins in early spring and the male peacocks use their long, colorful tails as part of their mating and courtship. The arranging of the feathers is complete with a loud mating call as the peacock male bird rapidly vibrates his tail and struts his stuff to impress the female birds. In the wild, the peacock male bird is known to entertain as many as five female birds.
The peacock is one of the largest birds with the ability to fly. Though they weigh in on the light side, between 9 and 13 pounds, the peacock bird male stands nearly five feet tall with his tail feathers fluffed.
The peacock male birds eat a big variety of food, including plants, flowers, seeds, insects, frogs and turtles. A peacock that is living in captivity can be fed cracked corn and wheat to supplement his diet. Their diet is pretty adaptable.
Behavior of the Male Peacock
Peacocks can often be found resting and hiding in trees. These usually even-tempered birds actually need a good deal of space to avoid being stressed out. They should be kept in places where they are safe from the risk of attacks from roaming dogs and the danger of being hit by a moving car, as these are the biggest threats to Peacocks in captivity. They tend to do well in zoos, where they can roam freely, for the most part, without being confined to a cage. Kids enjoy chasing the birds around and the peacock bird male doesn't seem to mind, nor will he let himself be caught.
