Mating Season for the Peafowl
It’s a very special time of year for the peafowl at my Bedford, New York farm - it's the beginning of breeding season.
From March until early August, the peacocks display their stunning and iridescent tail feathers, strut back and forth shaking their feathers and hindquarters to produce a rattling sound, and make loud calls to the females. The peahens tend to choose males with the longest, most colorful tails. It’s always very interesting to watch these mating rituals up close - the "tail show" can be quite amazing. Many of you comment on how much you enjoy the posts on the animals at my farm, so I thought it was a good time to share this update on my gorgeous birds.
Enjoy these photos.
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- My peafowl coop is fully enclosed to protect them from predators. It is difficult to see, but I devised a way to also keep them from flying out of their pen – we ran monofilament fishing line across the top from one side to the other. The lines keep predators out, but they don’t take away from the beautiful skies above. Here, two peacocks are fanning their gorgeous tails in competition for the females during breeding season.
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- Here is a closer look at the gorgeous eyespots on this mature male’s tail feathers.
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- Peafowl are members of the pheasant family. There are two Asiatic species – the blue or Indian peafowl native to India and Sri Lanka, and the green peafowl originally from Java and Burma, and one African species, the Congo peafowl from African rain forests. All my peafowl are Indian.
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- Researchers found that the longer the train feathers, the faster the males would shake them during true courtship displays, perhaps to demonstrate muscular strength.
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- As beautiful as peafowls are, they don’t make very melodious sounds. Peafowls have 11 different calls, with most of the vocalizing made by the peacocks. And, with their sharp eyesight, peafowls are quick to see predators and call out alarms. Oftentimes, I can hear them all the way from my Winter House. And every time I call out to them, they respond.
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- Here is another peacock fanning his tail on the other side of the coop. He is also doing the ritualistic dance.
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- During the dance, the peacock turns in circles showing off his tail. This display is known as “train-rattling.”
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- Here, one can see the peacock trying hard to attract this peahen. Peacocks have their full length tail feathers once they are at least three years of age. Peahens usually choose males that have bigger, healthier plumage with an abundance of eyespots.
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- The stiff rear feathers underlie the front feathers and provide support when the whole tail is raised.
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- Unfortunately for this peacock, the female did not seem interested and just walked away.
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- No matter the species, these male creatures boast impressively sized and patterned plumage as part of the courtship ritual – it’s so interesting to watch.
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- While these birds are ground feeders and ground nesters, they still enjoy roosting at higher levels. In the wild, this keeps them safe from predators at night. My outdoor birds all have access to natural perches made from old felled trees here at the farm.
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- Here is a peacock perched in one of the outdoor trees.
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- Peafowls very hardy birds, and even though they are native to warm climates, they do very well in cold weather as long as they have access to dry areas away from strong winds. These birds will spend most of their days outdoors, and nights in their coop where it is warm and cozy. Both male and female peafowls have the fancy crest atop their heads called a corona.
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- Because most of these birds have grown up here, they are all very accustomed to the crew and always love visitors. Many of them walk up to the gate as soon as one nears.
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- All peacocks and peahens will look you in the eye, but if you stare at them or seem aggressive in body movements, they will feel threatened. I love how friendly all my peacocks and peahens are with people.
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- Peacocks and peahens are very smart, docile and adaptable birds. They are also quite clever and very curious.
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- The birds get a healthy mix of cornmeal, soybean, and wheat. I also feed the birds spinach, cabbage, and squash. In the wild, peacocks are omnivores – they eat insects, plants, and small creatures. They do most of their foraging in the early morning and evening.
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- This day was a bit windy and cold, but this hen loved sitting out in the sun.
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- At one point, three males were dancing all at once in front of the coop.
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- Peafowls are so beautiful – especially the males with their long tails, but do not underestimate their power. These birds are extremely strong with very sharp spurs. Full-grown, peafowls can weigh up to 13-pounds.
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- After breeding season ends in August, the males lose their long tail feathers and then grow them all back before the next breeding season begins. The train gets longer and more elaborate until five or six years old when it reaches maximum splendor.
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