Blue Peafowl

(Pavo cristatus)

Live: Southern India and Sri Lanka

Habitat: Dry, open forests and scrubland

Diet: Grains, insects, small reptiles, small mammals, berries

Gestation: Usually 4-6 thick-shelled eggs are laid and incubated for 28 days.

Lifespan: 8-10 years

Status: Common

General: Commonly known as the peacock, it is a beautiful bird, well known for the males extravagant 'tail' feathers and courtship display. Females have excellent camouflage for nesting on the ground.

The feathers, which the male displays to attract the female, are in fact elongated tail covert feathers, supported by the true tail feathers. In New Zealand the 'tail' is at its best over summer, and is then moulted quite rapidly. They have strong legs, with 3 toes facing forward and one to the rear.

Peacocks live in flocks ('musters') and roost at night in tall trees. They are ground feeders and can fly only short distances.

In New Zealand, breeding usually occurs between September and December. A peacock may have a harem of up to 6 peahens. The nest is a shallow scrape in the ground under thick undergrowth.
The chick is reddish-brown with a paler underside, and the crown starts growing at about a month old.

Predators include tigers, leopards, humans.