Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 8(4): 945-948, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v8i4.945-948.3198
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology
Available online, ISSN: 2148-127X | www.agrifoodscience.com | Turkish Science and Technology
Peafowl Production
Fatma Yenilmez1,a,*
1
Tufanbeyli Vocational School, Çukurova University, 01640 Tufanbeyli/Adana, Turkey
*
Corresponding author
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Peafowl is a common name of three species of the Phasianidae family. It is known as a sacred bird
Review Article in many Asian countries and India that is the homeland of the peafowl. They live in groups and
prefer cultivated areas and forests where they can find more food in nature. They feed on cereal
grains, insects, fruits, leaves, seeds. It has a strong structure and adapts very well to different
Received : 26/11/2019 climates. Because of this feature can be produced anywhere in the world. There are commonly
Accepted : 09/12/2019 known three different types of peafowl. Blue (Indian) Peafowl (Pavo cristatus), Green Peafowl (Pavo
muticus) and Congo Peafowl (Afropavo congoensis). The most recognizable species of them is the
Indian Peafowl. Peafowl has always been the center of attention with its striking, bright and eye-
catching colors on its body and long tail, and it is natural wonders. Therefore, they are especially
Keywords: indispensable members of zoos and ornamental gardens. Although peafowl are usually produced for
Exotic birds
their beautiful appearance, their meat is also very tasty and beneficial. This article is prepared to give
Ornamental bird
brief information about peafowl.
Peafowl
Morphological features
Peafowl species
a
fyenilmez@cu.edu.tr https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5470-7974
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Introduction
Peafowl known as exotic bird in many parts of the Peacock have long, brilliant, tail feathers that is named
world is native to India, Java, Assam, Burma, Siam, Ceylon train feathers and can be erected and fanned out and have
and Malaya (Anonymous, 2019a). Phoenicians are the first iridescent, eye-like spots (Anonymous, 2019c) (Figure 1).
brought them from India to Syria and Egypt about 3,000 For this reason, more people recognize the peacocks, not
years ago. The Great Alexander was introduced them to peahen. Peacocks are the largest flying birds among all the
Greece about 600 years later (Anonymous, 2019b). birds (Anonymous, 2019d) (Figure 2). This is not known
Peafowl is known with spectacular colors of peacocks body so many people, just as many things are not known about
and tail in many parts of the world. But their meat was these birds.
served to the banquets of the wealthy in Roman times. This text intended to give brief information about
English barons offered roasted peafowl to their guests in wonderful birds to introduce to them who are wondering
the Middle Ages. So they spread to the world as symbols them.
of wealth and power.
The peafowl is the common name for members of tree Scientific Classification*
species of large birds of the pheasant family Phasianidae,
Pavo cristatus (Indian peafowl), Pavo muticus (green Kingdom : Animalia
peafowl) and Afropavo congoensis (Congo peafowl). It is Phylum : Chordata
known as a sacred bird in India and many Asian countries. Class : Aves
They are widely produced in most zoos and ornamental Order : Galliformes
gardens, because of their bright color of feather and Family : Phasianidae
wonderful tail. The males of peafowl have crested heads, Subfamily : Phasianinae
long legs, heavy wings, and spectacular colored plumage. *(Anonymous, 2019e)
Yenilmez / Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 8(4): 945-948, 2020
Figure 1. Male peafowl Figure 2. Flying peacock
Figure 3. Body and head structure of a peafowl
Figure 4. Different colors of peafowl
Figure 5. Peafowl body patterns
Morphological Features
The peafowl can be produced in many parts of the And they have 5 known body patterns: Barred wing,
world because they have a strong structure and Black shoulder, Pied, White-eyed, and Silver pied (Nelson,
adaptability. It has a relatively long neck and a small head, 2019) (Figure 5).
short wings, very strong legs, high claws and average tail The name of the peafowl is used for both sexes. The
length. They have crown-shaped feathers on his head, male is called peacock, the female is peahen and the chick
expanding towards the ends and create a very beautiful is peachick (Anonymous, 2019d). The only male peacock
image. (Anonymous, 2019f) (Figure 3). tail is long and spectacular. The peacock spreads its tail
The peafowl has 15 known colors: Blue, green, white, which contains over 200 shimmering feathers like a fan to
purple, cameo, charcoal, opal, bronze, peach, midnight, woo the female in the mating period and is known for its
jade, taupe, sonja's violeta, hazel and indigo (Nelson, 2019) beautiful tail (Figure 6). The tail is the same length as the
(Figure 4). female for 1-1.5 years. It continues to grow for 5-6 years
and can reach 1.5 meters or more (Figure 7).
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Peacocks are considered polygamous. A mature
peacock can be mated with five peahens. Peahens must be
active and healthy, have good feather quality, straight legs
and toes, and clear eyes. After mating, the female starts
laying eggs and sits on it for incubation. One peahen lay
down about 7-10 eggs a year. Eggs are light brown colored
(Figure 10). Hatching takes 28-30 days after the female
starts to sit on the eggs (Hopkins, 2019; Gleaves, 1988).
Figure 6. Peacock courting Peafowls must be kept in rural areas, out of town.
Figure 7. Peacock tail
to the female Because of their sounds are very high-pitched and
disturbing. At least 25 square meters per bird is required for
peafowl breeding. This area is important to prevent diseases
and to take precaution fighting among birds. And the pens
must be at least 2,5 meters high so that the peacock can vent
its tail. The tail may be injured if there is not enough space.
Wooden pens may be the best way to protect them from the
cold and to live comfortably (Anonymous, 2019h).
Nutrition
Figure 8. Peafowl group Figure 9. Crowing peacock
Peafowl are omnivorous, consumes insects and
vegetation in nature. Popular foods are plant parts, flower
petals, seed heads, insects and other arthropods, reptiles, and
amphibians. They find and consume the food they need in
the natural environment. In captivity peafowl are usually fed
a supplemented feed by their caretaker. The young peafowl
are needs balanced feed ration including adequate vitamins,
trace minerals and amino acids. Turkey rations are perfect
feed for peafowl, because their physiology is similar to
young turkeys. They can be fed for 4 months with starter
(28% protein) and grower feed. The last growth feed (14%
protein) can be continued until 1 year of age and can be used
for adults. Young peacock can be fed with millet or mixed
small grains. Whole meal cereals can be fed when grown,
but only cereals are insufficient for them and need to be fed
Figure 10. Peahen eggs and peachicks regularly with vegetables, leaves and grasses that are
available in their natural habitats. Peafowls love insects and
consume them to meet their protein needs. However, if there
are not enough insects, it is necessary to provide a protein
supplement that is meat-based feed such as cat food. In
addition, their diet should include vitamin and mineral
supplements should also be done when needed. Water must
have always ready (Anonymous, 2019i; Gleaves, 1988).
Peafowl Species
There are three different types of peafowls.
Blue (Indian) Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus)
Congo Peafowl (Afropavo congoensis)
The most recognizable species of the peafowl is the
Indian Peafowl.
Figure 11. Blue (Indian) Peacock
Blue (Indian) Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
Peacocks weigh 9-13 kilograms and peahens weigh 6- Blue peafowl are known as Indian peafowl, are large
9 kilograms (Anonymous, 2019e). The average lifetime is and brightly colored birds native to Sri Lanka and India,
approximately 35 years. They live in groups and each but can also be found naturally in Nepal, Assam, Pakistan,
group has 1 male and 5-6 females (Figure 8). Males reach Kashmir, Nagaland, Burma, Java, Ceylon, Malaya, and the
sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 and females begin to lying Congo. Peacocks are a larger sized bird with a length from
at age 2. Reproduction periods are from April to August. bill to tail of 100 to 115 cm and weigh are 4–6 kg. The
Peacocks call in the early morning and late evening, and peahens are smaller at around 95 cm in length and weigh
practically all day during the breeding season. His voice is 2.75–4 kg (Anonymous, 2019e) (Figure 11). The male
treble and screaming (Anonymous, 2019g) (Figure 9). necks and breasts are usually a bright blue and their trains
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are an iridescent formation of multiple colors featuring Congo Peafowl (Afropavo congoensis)
eye-spots. Females are brown, grey, and cream-colored. The Congo peafowl known as the African peafowl is a
Chicks are usually a light yellow to brown color. Average species of peafowl native to the Congo Basin. It was
lifespan is 15 years. Range age at sexual maturity of male discovered in 1936 and the wild population is estimated
is 2-3 year and female is 1-3 years. The breeding season is that 2500-9000 adults. They have physical characteristics
between April and September. Average eggs production is of both the peafowl and the guinefowl. They are less
5 per peahen (Anonymous, 2019j). impressive and smaller than the other peafowl. They have
bare red neck skin, grey feet, and a black tail with fourteen
tail feathers. Its crown is different from others and adorned
with vertical white elongated hair-like feathers. The
peacock's feathers are deep blue with a metallic green and
violet tinge. The peahens' feathers are brown and green for
camouflage. The peacock of this species is a large bird of
up to 64–70 cm in length and 1.5 kg in weight. The peahen
is also 60–63 cm in length and 1.2 kilograms in weight. The
Congo peacock is monogamous, but there is not enough
information about wildlife. The male is ventilated its tail
during the mating season like as others. The peahen is lay
Figure 12. Green Peacock average 1-4 eggs with dark brown colored in a period
(Anonymous, 2019e; Anonymous, 2019l) (Figure 13).
Fruits and invertebrates (larvae, earthworms, snails,
millipedes, spiders, and a variety of insect’s spiders) are
occurs their mainly diet (Anonymous, 2019l).
Conclusion
Peacocks that attract attention with their visual beauty
are known and loved by everyone. Although these
beautiful birds are widespread in the world, their
production is limited to zoos and ornamental gardens.
Therefore, scientific studies are needed to increase and
spread the producing of these birds.
References
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