Male peacocks and female peahens make up the species of peafowl and most of us have seen these magnificent birds up close in some sort of habitat or zoo. But where do they originally come from and where do they live now?
Where do peacocks live: There are three species of peafowl, but all can be found in warm areas closer to the equator. Peafowl, which means male peacocks and female peahens, can’t survive in temperatures below freezing so it is hard to find them outside of their natural habitats. The most common species, Indian peafowl, can be found in and around India. With this species, the peacocks have giant plumage while the peahens are smaller and only brown in color. You can also find Green peafowl, and interestingly both peacocks and peahens have similar blue and green plumage. They are found in Southeast Asia. Finally, there is Congo peafowl. Both peacocks and peahens of this species will have green feathers but in a more subdued pattern. They live in and around the country of Congo.
Three species of peafowl
There are three distinct species of peafowl but there’s a good chance we’ve only seen one of them in person.
Indian peafowl
Perhaps the most common of the three species, Indian peacocks have massive iridescent plumage. These birds are native to India and the surrounding subcontinent.
Male peacocks have large plumage that they can fan out while female peahens have a very short tail that does not fan out. Peahens are also a brown color.
India peafowl are not endangered and this may be due to their status. In 1963, they were declared the national bird of India and the Hindu religion considers them sacred.
Congo peafowl
Prehistoric-looking, Congo peafowl live in the country of Congo and the surrounding area.
Congo peacocks have bright plumage but it is more subdued than their more common Indian peacock counterparts. As for Congo peahens, they are brown and black in color as well as have a vivid greenback.
Congo peafowl is an endangered species due to its lack of local habitat.
Green peafowl
Native to Southeast Asia, green peafowl is similar in appearance, whether they are male or female. Both peacocks and peahens have large tails that reach up to 6 feet in length and both can fan them out for amazing displays.
Green peafowl gets their name because of the bright green coloring on their necks. Indian peacocks have necks that are bright blue while both Green peacocks and peahens have a shimmering green coloring.
While green peafowl is not endangered, they are classified as vulnerable species. There is now a greater push to protect these birds.
Peacock Habitat
Peacocks roost in trees where they are safer from predators but spend the daytime on the ground. Their habitat needs a mixture of soft ground and mid-height trees.
While peacocks can’t fly very far, they can still fly up to trees. They can also glide short distances, so will hop from tree to tree to look for a new nesting spot or to hide from predators.
Peacocks also like to peck for their food. They prefer areas with the soft, mossy ground, where it is easy to find insects to eat.
Furthermore, peacocks will eat small rodents and even snakes, so they like to be in an area where there is both protein and vegetation such as grass and berries.
Because peafowl can’t fly, they like to remain hidden. They will often find habitats in densely wooded areas where it is harder to see them in the open.
Furthermore, peafowl needs to live in warmer climates. They cannot survive in freezing temperatures, which is why they are native to warmer countries.
Sometimes you are able to see peacocks on agricultural fields and because they like to eat small rodents, farmers will often employ them to take care of pests.
Peafowl lives in small colonies for better protection. In small groups, they are able to alert each other of predators, which is another reason they are well-liked on farms.
While peafowl usually lives in one area, they like to roam so you will often find them wandering in search of more food. They are omnivores so are always on the lookout for both meat and vegetation.
Peacocks Living in the Wild and Native to
- Cambodia
- Pakistan
- Java
- Sri Lanka
- Laos
- Egypt
- Burma
- China
- Vietnam
- Malaysia
- India
- Thailand
Are there any peacocks in America?
While peacocks are not native to North America, you can find them in the wild in small pockets. This is either a result of peacocks escaping from a zoo enclosure or humans releasing their exotic pets into the supposed wild.
The problem with wild peacocks in America is that they tend to congregate in suburban neighborhoods. Here it is easy for peacocks to find food.
However, peacocks can be noisy. You can hear them especially in their mating season, which runs from early spring to late fall.
It might sound like a very high-pitch cat meowing. As you can imagine, this noise can be quite frustrating, especially if you are trying to sleep.
Where do peacocks live in the United States?
Interestingly, you can find a large wild peacock population in Florida. While it isn’t exactly known how peacocks came to live in Florida, there are a few theories.
Like other small pockets of peacocks, these could have escaped from a zoo, thus creating their own population. Another theory is that in the mid-19th century, developers imported peacocks to new neighborhoods in an attempt to make the area seem more exotic.
Residents who have rare peacock populations are usually excited about the discovery at first, and try to satisfy their curiosity. However, peacocks can be seen as a real nuisance and there is now a push to trap and move these invasive birds.
Conclusion
Peacocks are amazing to see and just about every zoo or animal sanctuary will have peafowl for you to observe. While they are native to warmer climates, you may be able to see small gatherings in different areas of North America, mainly due to escaping zoos.
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