Indian peafowl
(Pavo cristatus)
Facts
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IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)
Facts about this animal
Male Indian peafowl are unmistakable and well known. Body length of males is from 1.8 to 2.3 m (including train), and they weigh about 4 - 6 kg. Females are dull green, grey and iridescent blue, with a white belly. They have a body length of 90 - 100 cm and a weight of 2.7 - 4 kg.
Did you know?
Peafowl have been kept in captivity for many centuries and was about the first "exotic" bird kept in Europe.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | AVES |
| Order | GALLIFORMES |
| Suborder | PHASIANI |
| Family | PHASIANIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Pavo cristatus |
| Name (English) | Indian peafowl |
| Name (French) | Paon bleu |
| Name (German) | Pfau |
| Name (Spanish) | Pavo-real común |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
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PRA
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Native to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Introduced to Australia, the Bahamas, New Zealand. |
| Habitat | Grasslands, scrub and deciduous forests, but also on cultivated land and near villages. |
| Wild population | The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be not globally threatened as the species is described as 'common' in at least parts of its range. May have become extinct in Bangladesh, where it was formerly common (del Hoyo et al. 1994). |
| Zoo population | 3025 reported to ISIS (2007). This species is often kept in zoos, by privat breeders or free roaming in parks as it is sedentary. |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 16 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed. It is recommended to transport adult male peafowl after they have molted and lost their long tail feathers in late summer.
Find this animal on ZooLex
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Wikipedia
Why do zoos keep this animal
Usually the domestic form of the Indian peafowl is kept, and this for ornamental and educational reasons and to allow for close encounters as the birds are very tame.