The term “peafowl” refers to the species with the males called peacocks; the females are called peahens and offspring under the age of one year are called peachicks. The peacock can also symbolise the cosmos if one interprets its tail with its many 'eyes' as the vault of heaven dotted by the sun, moon, and stars. They are fully feathered, four plus month old peafowl. It is the largest among the two with several studies revealing that it weighs an average of seven kilograms when well fed while at the same time being kept in a conducive environment. • Categorized under Birds,Nature | Differences Between Peacock and Peahen. In Hellenistic imagery, the Greek goddess Hera's chariot was pulled by peacocks, birds not known to Greeks before the conquests of Alexander. Technically, there are three species of peafowl: India Blues, Green, and Congo.The India Blue Peacock is what most people think of when they see or hear the word "peafowl," because it is the most common and because it has been domesticated for the longest. Optical interference Bragg reflections, based on regular, periodic nanostructures of the barbules (fiber-like components) of the feathers, produce the peacock's colours. Pattern variations include solid-wing/black shoulder (the black and brown stripes on the wing are instead one solid colour), pied, white-eye (the ocelli in a male's eye feathers have white spots instead of black), and silver pied (a mostly white bird with small patches of colour). They are terrestrial feeders. [9] Thus, Petrie's work has shown correlations between tail ornamentation, mating success, and increased survival ability in both the ornamented males and their offspring. In Hinduism, the Indian peacock is the mount of the God of war, Lord Kartikeya, the Warrior Goddess Kaumari, and is also depicted around Goddess Santoshi. Journal of Evolutionary Biology. [21], Although an intricate display catches a peahen's attention, the redundant signal hypothesis also plays a crucial role in keeping this attention on the peacock's display. Slight changes to the spacing of these barbules result in different colours. Hera had transformed Io into a cow after learning of Zeus's interest in her. The Congo peacock male does not display his covert feathers, but uses his actual tail feathers during courtship displays. These birds are not picky and will eat almost anything they can fit in their beak and digest. At a nuptial feast, the peacock was served by the maid of honour, and placed before the bride for her to consume. Mixed. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens, even though peafowl of either sex are often referred to colloquially as "peacocks".[1]. I've raised them since … During courtship, the m… India Blue peacocks… The second difference between the male and female peafowl is their sizes. [31] Peacock feathers also adorn the crest of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, one of the trimurti. Unlike Indian peafowl, the green peahen is similar to the male, but has shorter upper tail coverts, a more coppery neck, and overall less iridescence. Peafowl (peacocks, peahens, peachicks) are territorial, flocking ground birds who will choose to stay where life is good. Charles Darwin suggested in On the Origin of Species that the peafowl's plumage had evolved through sexual selection. Green peafowl differ from Indian peafowl in that the male has green and gold plumage and black wings with a sheen of blue. However, the more wealthy gentry were privileged to eat less usual foods, such as swan, and even peafowl were consumed. If we didn't have to move from our acre and a half, I would not be selling my babies. These feathers are marked with eyespots, best seen when a peacock fans his tail. [6] Females generally have more to lose when mating with an inferior male due to her gametes being more costly than the male's. In 1956, John J. Graham created an abstraction of an 11-feathered peacock logo for American broadcaster NBC. Interestingly, peafowl are members of the pheasant family and can live to be 40-50 years old. In addition to the wild-type "blue" colouration, several hundred variations in colour and pattern are recognised as separate morphs of the Indian Blue among peafowl breeders. The peacock is still used in the Easter season, especially in the east. [40], The peacock motif was revived in the Renaissance iconography that unified Hera and Juno, and on which European painters focused.[41]. and updated on February 14, 2020, Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, Difference Between Job Description and Job Specification, Difference Between Armadillo and Anteater, Difference Between Vitamin D and Vitamin D3, Difference Between LCD and LED Televisions, Difference Between Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, Difference Between Civil War and Revolution, Large and Long, about seven kgs on average. Zeus had the messenger of the gods, Hermes, kill Argus through eternal sleep and free Io. Peacocks (often a symbol of pride and vanity) were believed to deliberately consume poisonous substances in order to become immune to them, as well as to make the colours of their resplendent plumage all the more vibrant – seeing as so many poisonous flora and fauna are so colourful due to aposematism, this idea appears to have merit. Uncategorized. Peafowl are forest birds that nest on the ground, but roost in trees. Breeding, Owning, Keeping and Raising Pe [Lang, Elliott] on Amazon.com. Central positions are usually taken by older, dominant males, which influences mating success. This brightly hued peacock was adopted due to the increase in colour programming. [22], In courtship, vocalisation stands to be a primary way for peacocks to attract peahens. Chicks is partly dependent on the other a rooster adorning his flag from. Christian paintings and mosaics show the peacock as its national bird in 1963 it. Than males fitness peahens and peacocks reproductive success and the other distinction between a peacock displays for a in. The species are cryptically coloured be aware when housing with other birds, with iridescent necks... ( s ) Your Shopping Cart is Empty taken by older, dominant males, which influences mating.. Blair 's board `` peacock and peahen, and bright green tail feathers dotted with.! 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