The peacock
๐ In short
The peacock is one of the most beautiful birds in the world! The male has very long tail feathers, which he spreads behind him like a huge colorful fan covered in shiny spots that look like eyes. The best known is the Indian peafowl, with a shining blue neck and chest.
๐คฉ Did you know?
- A male peacock is about the size of a turkey.
- A peacock's tail can have more than 150 long feathers.
- A peacock's tail feathers fall out every year and grow back.
- The Indian peafowl is India's national bird.
๐ Find out more
๐ The feather display
When the male wants to attract a female, he lifts his tail feathers, spreads them and shakes them so they shimmer and rustle. It's one of the most beautiful sights in the bird world.
๐ The female is plainer
The peahen is smaller than the male, with brown and grey feathers and no long tail. These quiet colors help her hide while she sits on her eggs.
๐ก A crown on its head
On the peacock's head are little upright feathers like a crown. Its call is loud and shrill and can be heard from far away.
๐ฏ It likes sleeping up high
Although the peacock is a heavy bird, it flies up to high tree branches to sleep at night, away from predators.
๐ธ More pictures
๐งฉ Test yourself
1 What do the spots on a peacock's tail look like?
2 Where does a peacock sleep at night?
3 A peacock's tail can have more than ?? long feathers.
4 Which picture shows โThe peacockโ?
๐ฆ Discover more
๐ท Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons
- Jatin Sindhu ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jayaprakasharavath ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rolf Dietrich Brecher from Germany ยท CC BY-SA 2.0
- Jatin Sindhu ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
