Green Peafowl, Adelaide Zoo
One of the more spectacular displays by any bird species would have to be that of the male (peacock) of the Indian Peafowl. A closely related species is the Green Peafowl, shown in the photos on this post. I took these photos in a walk through aviary at the Adelaide Zoo late last year. The male decided I wanted some beautiful photos of his amazing plumage and displayed it for my benefit.
The Indian Peafowl is more commonly known as a peacock, but that name should be reserved for only the male. It is native to the Indian sub-continent where I was able to see it in its natural habitat in the forest area of Royal Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal. You can read about my experiences on Trevor’s Travels. The Green Peafowl, however, is native to south east Asia and could well be extinct on the Indian sub-continent. Unlike the Indian Peafowl, the male and female Green Peafowl are very similar in the colours of their plumage.
The Indian Peafowl has been introduced into many countries and is commonly kept in zoos, private collections, parks and gardens. In some places there are semi-feral populations, including King and Flinders Islands in Tasmania, and Kangaroo Island here in South Australia.