Peacocks (weekends & holidays)

The Blue Peacock is a sedentary bird that lives in groups of varying size for most of the year. These flocks do not disperse until early spring, when each adult male goes his own way, followed by two to five females. They live in hilly woodland areas and spend their days on the ground in the shade of thickets, returning to the tall trees at dusk to spend the night. A naturally sociable bird, the peacock is often found near human settlements. The life of the peacock is very regulated. It frequents the same sleeping area and feeds in the same place each day. Similarly, males always parade in the same place. Hunted by tigers and panthers, it acts as a warning system for the other animals in the forest. It usually spots the wildcats first and sounds the alarm with a loud cry.

Their breeding season lasts all spring. During courtship, the male, who is the focal point for the females, raises his rectrices and fans out his upper tail feathers. The females come to this call and, as appropriate, adopt the characteristic postures indicating their readiness to mate, crouching on the ground facing the male with their wings half open. At this signal, the peacock quickly closes its magnificent fan and mates with all the peahens in turn. Some time later, the females prepares a rudimentary nest on the ground, generally under the shelter of a shrub or plant. In this nest, they lay 4 or 5 eggs, but according to some authors the numbers can be much higher. Incubation lasts 28 to 30 days. The peahen helps the her young to find their food and sometimes feeds them herself during their first days.

The peacock has taken advantage of its association with humans, giving it a great chance of survival! It is protected in India, of course, where it is the national bird, but also in many other areas because it is sacred and has great religious importance.

This time, the the bird's beauty has saved it! Blue peacocks have been transplanted from their native land to other parts of the western world and this has probably saved them from extinction.

Being gregarious, they spend the night in the trees safe from predators. Although they can fly, they prefer to walk, climb or run rather than fly. They act as an alarm signal for other animals in the forest because they notice the wildcats first and sound the alarm with their famous cry that sounds like "léon" (lion). They are said to bawl or scream. They are often found near herds of herbivores.