Tag: peacock

the green peafowl is a large species of peafowl native to southeast asia. the green peafowl is often overlooked for the more common indian peafowl, though its beauty has still unfortunately been its downfall.

unlike the indian peafowl, both male and female green peafowl are very similar. they display almost the same coloration; after breeding season sends and the male molts his train of feathers, they are very difficult to tell apart. the neck and breast feathers of this bird resemble scales. baby peafowl hatch a brown color, and take a while to mature into their green plumage.

the green peafowl is known as one of the largest galliforms (gamefowl). including the ‘train’ of feathers, the male can measure anywhere from 5ft 11in – 9ft 10in in length. females and males outside of the breeding season measure 3 ft 3 in–3 ft 7 in. wingspan averages around four feet but can reach over five feet. while many large galliforms, such as the wild turkey, struggle with long flights, the green peafowl is capable of sustained flight.

unfortunately, this beautiful bird isn’t doing well. poaching for feathers as well as meat has taken a huge toll on the population of green peafowl. chicks and eggs are also smuggled for the pet trade, and feral populations of indian peafowl hybridizing with green peafowl has threatened their genetics. they are listed as ‘endangered’ by the iucn, with an estimated 5,000-10,000 left in the wild.

luckily, the green peafowl has a stable captive population, and there has been an increased effort to work on conservation for the species. this beautiful and underrated species will hopefully be around for many more years.

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