Peacock varieties. Varieties of peacock breeds

Peacock Congo

(
Afropavo congensis
), known as
African peafowl
or
Mbulu
by Bakongo, is a species of peafowl native to the Congo River basin. [2] It is one of three extant species of peacock and the only member of the subfamily native to Africa, [3] the other two being the Indian peafowl (native to India and Sri Lanka) and the green peacock (native to Myanmar and Indochina).

History[edit]

It was only recorded as a species in 1936 by Dr. James Chapin after his unsuccessful search for the elusive okapi. Dr. Chapin noticed that native Congolese headdresses contained long, reddish-brown feathers that he could not identify with any previously known bird species. Chapin later visited the Royal Museum of Central Africa and saw two stuffed animals with similar feathers labeled as an "Indian peacock", which he later discovered to be a Congo peacock, an entirely different species. In 1955, Chapin managed to find seven specimens of this species. The Congo peacock has physical characteristics of both the peacock and the guinea fowl, which may indicate that the species is a link between the two families. [4]

Royal

The same white peacock, but slightly larger than its relative and with a more magnificent tail. Due to the unique color of its feathers, it is a popular inhabitant of royal gardens and private estates. Looks great when it spreads its tail and during flight.

The body dimensions, wingspan and size of tail feathers are almost identical to the white peacock. It lends itself well to breeding, but requires a special approach to feeding. Any type of peacock is unique and beautiful in its own way. According to the majority, this bird is considered the most beautiful and enjoys the well-deserved love of others. Due to the color of their long feathers, peacocks often become victims of poachers, which is why the birds have recently begun to be bred in nurseries

Description[edit]

Male (pea cock)

) of this species is a large bird, up to 64–70 cm (25–28 in) long. Although much less impressive than its Asian cousins, the male's feathers are nonetheless deep blue with metallic green and purple hues. It has bare red skin on its neck, gray paws, and a black tail with fourteen tail feathers. Its crown is decorated with vertical white elongated hair-like feathers. The female reaches 60–63 centimeters (24–25 in) in length and is usually a chestnut-brown bird with a black belly, a metallic green back, and a short chestnut-brown crest. Both sexes resemble immature Asian peacocks, with early stuffed birds being erroneously classified as such before they were officially designated as members of a unique species. [5]

Green peacock species

The Javan or green peacock is the largest. The bird's body reaches more than two meters in length, and its wingspan is one and a half meters. The tail feathers of males sometimes grow up to 200 cm. The weight of the Javan peacock often exceeds five kilograms. The Javan peacock has bright plumage, which is dominated by green tones. The upper part of the neck, as well as the head, has greenish-brown plumage. The feathers around the eyes are gray-blue.

The bird's breast and upper back are blue-green, with yellow and reddish spots. The rest of the plumage is reddish-yellow with brown spots. The bird's beak is often black, and its legs are earthy gray. The green peacock is found in the forests of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and the southern regions of China, as well as Myanmar. The Javan peacock is a territorial bird, preferring dense forests along river banks, wetlands with an abundance of bushes. The Javan peacock often settles in mountainous areas, at an altitude of up to one kilometer.

The Javan peacock has three subspecies:

• Burmese,
• Javanese,
• Indo-Chinese.

Diet and behavior[edit]

As members of the genus Pavo

, Congo peacocks are omnivores, their diet consisting mainly of fruits and insects.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its diet has been found to include the fruits of Allanblackia floribunda
, junglesop,
Canarium schweinfurthii
, oil palm,
Klainedoxa gabonensis
, African breadfruit and
Xylopia aethiopica
, as well as a variety of insects, spiders, molluscs and worms. [6]

In Salonga National Park, its diet in the secondary forest is taxonomically narrower than in the primary forest. The male has the same appearance as other peacock species, although the Congo peacock actually fans his tail feathers while other peacocks fan his hidden feathers at the top of his tail. The Congo peacock is monogamous, although detailed information about mating in the wild is still needed. A peacock of this species makes

a high-pitched
screaming

gou
sound , while the peacock makes a low-pitched "
goua
" sound.
They have loud duets consisting of " rro-ho-ho-oa
" from both sexes.

Types of breeds

The image of a peacock is familiar to almost every person from childhood. These birds tend to be sedentary and although they fly quite well, they still prefer to spend a significant part of their time on the ground. These birds feed on mixed food, not disdaining mollusks, lizards and small snakes. Before the mating season begins, males grow long tails. The male uses his tail for several purposes:

• to attract the attention of females;
• for the purpose of scaring away small predators;
• This is how he shows superiority over his competitors.

However, after the mating season, males often molt and are indistinguishable from females. It is worth noting that Asian peacock species are polygamous.

Individuals prefer to nest in the thicket of the forest, and lay no more than 10 eggs. They hatch them for about a month, and the chicks themselves, within a few hours after hatching, can follow their parents in search of food.

They also make nests in other conditions: on stumps, spreading trees, and even between rocks. The number of eggs in a clutch is no more than 4, but more often 1-2 pieces. The female incubates the eggs for 27 to 29 days and during this entire time the male remains nearby, guarding the female and the clutch. He leaves only to get food.

It is worth noting that only the following species live in their natural habitat:

• green (Javanese, Burmese, Indochinese);
• blue or ordinary Indian;
• African.

Each of these species has its own habitats and has several color forms.

If we continue the topic of species diversity, then all domestic breeds of peacocks were obtained through the process of breeding.

Common (Indian)

The Indian common peacock is the most numerous species and has no subspecies. As the name suggests, their homeland is India, but they can still be seen in Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, color mutations are still inherent in this variety. This is due to the fact that the bird was kept in captivity for a long time and, of course, succumbed to artificial selection.

This breed has unusually beautiful plumage:

• their head, neck and chest are blue in color, which shimmers with green or gold;
• the back is blue-green, with a steely sheen;
• tail feathers are brownish, rump feathers are bright green with a bronze tint;
• the rump ends with fans decorated with black eyes.

Males also have the following characteristics:

• weight about 4.5 kg;
• body length with tail – 180 cm;
• the length of the uppertail feathers can also reach 180 cm.

Distribution and habitat[edit]

The peacock inhabits and Congo is endemic to the Central Congolian lowland forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it has also been designated the national bird. Found in both primary and secondary forests of Salonga National Park. Secondary signs of its presence, such as droppings and feathers, were more common in regenerating secondary forest than in primary forest. In the secondary forest, its droppings were found close to watercourses, where trees were smaller and plant diversity lower than in the primary forest. [3]

In the 1990s, it was recorded in Maiko National Park, primarily in low hills and ridges between watersheds. [7]

general characteristics

The blue peacock, as well as other species of this bird, is considered the most beautiful in the world. And although there are no noticeable properties between a peacock and a chicken, the order and family of these creatures speaks volumes. What are the key features of these birds, and why are they so popular? First of all, let's look at the external characteristics. The height of an adult peacock is approximately 150 cm, and its weight is up to 5 kg.

It would seem, how can one generally distinguish a male individual of a given creature from a female one? In fact, a lot depends on the color of the plumage. For example, male peacocks usually have a bright blue neck. At the same time, the color of the feathers on the back is rich green, with an admixture of orange on the wings. As for the female representatives of this species, sadly, they are not characterized by such beautiful plumage. Most often, it is brown in color. Both individuals of peacocks have a crest on their heads, which in its shape resembles a crown. But people, as a rule, first of all pay attention to the amazing motley tail of enormous size, like for a bird. Most of it is painted in a fancy pattern - a peephole with multi-colored stains and lines.

The beauty of male peacocks is short-lived. When they reach one and a half years old, the color of their plumage becomes brown. If we are talking about the most common species - white peacocks, the lifespan of individuals is about 20 years. However, the most beautiful birds for the most part are males, and even then only until they reach 1.5 years of age.

Saving [edit]

The Congo peacock is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. As of 2013, the wild population ranged from 2,500 to 9,000 adults. [1] Given that secondary forests are used for reforestation in Salonga National Park, they may be an important habitat to include in conservation strategies. [3]

Captive breeding programs have been started at the Belgian Antwerp Zoo and the Salonga National Park. [8]

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Links[edit]

1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Afropavo congensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
   .
   IUCN. 2016
   : e.T22679430A92814166. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22679430A92814166.en.
2. Dowsett, R. J.; Forbes-Watson, A.D. 1993. A checklist of birds of the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions. Tauraco Press, Lee
3. ^ abc Mulotwa, M.; Louette, M.; Dudu, A.; Upoki, A.; Fuller, R. A. (2010). "The Congo peacock uses both primary and old-growth forest in Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo." Ostrich
   .
   81
   : 1–6. DOI: 10.2989/00306525.2010.455811.
4. "Peacock of the Congo". World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
5. BirdLife International (2014) Species fact sheet: Afropavo congensis. Downloaded from BirdLife | Partnership for nature and people". Archived from the original on 2007-07-10. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
6. Mulotwa, M., Louette, M., Dudu, A., & Upoki, A. (2006). Congolese peacock Afropavo congensis in Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo). Malimbus
   ,
   28
   , 52-53.
7. ^ ab Hart, J. A. & Upoki, A. (1997). "Distribution and conservation status of the Congo peacock Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire". Bird Conservation International
   .
   7
   (4): 295–316. DOI: 10.1017/s0959270900001647.CS1 maint: uses the authors parameter (link)
8. Collar, New Jersey; Butchart, S. H. M. (2013). "Conservation of bird breeding and diversity: chances and challenges." International Yearbook of Zoos
   .
   8
   (1): 7–28.

Reproduction

These birds reach sexual maturity at 2–3 years. It is by this time that males develop a chic tail to attract the opposite sex.

They prefer to breed from April to September. To attract a female into a pair, the male spreads his luxurious tail and shakes it slightly, demonstrating the brightness of his plumage. As soon as the female's interest is achieved, the male immediately turns away, hiding the beauty of his feathers.

In this position, he waits for a positive response from the female, and after that the couple proceeds to mating. Peacocks are most often polygamous - they live with 3-5 females.

Important! In captivity, a peacock can become monogamous and impregnate only one female.

Some interesting facts

• The national symbol of Burma is the peacock.
• In the Middle Ages, birds' feathers were used to decorate hats, dresses, and knight's helmets.
• The bird does not get along well with other birds, but it is unpretentious to food and can easily tolerate cold.
• In India, peacock hunting is prohibited at the state level. Birds are sacred here. Hindus are sure that their screams warn of an impending thunderstorm, the approach of snakes and tigers.
• In the Southern Hemisphere there is the constellation "Peacock".

Literature

• Akimushkin I. I.
  [bird.geoman.ru/books/item/f00/s00/z0000000/st011.shtml Animal World (Stories about Birds)] / Eureka Series; Artists A. Bloch, B. Zhutovsky. - M.: Young Guard, 1971. - 384 p.
• Bianki V.L.
  Peacock, bird // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
• Ivanov A.I. [enc-dic.com/print/enc_sovet/Pavlin-45334.html Peacocks]
  // Great Soviet Encyclopedia. (Accessed February 19, 2015) [web.archive.org/web/20150219145010/dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/bse/117803 Archived] from the original February 19, 2015.
• Rakhmanov A.I., Bessarabov B.F.
  [www.zooclub.ru/birds/vidy/149.shtml Pheasants: maintenance and breeding.] - M.: Agrapromizdat, 1991. - 173 p.
• Brickle N., Cu N., Quynh HQ, Cuong NTT, San HV
  [www.birdlifeindochina.org/report_pdfs/report1.pdf The Status and Distribution of Green Peafowl
  Pavo muticus
  in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam.] - Hanoi: BirdLife International , 1998. (English)
• Grahame I.
  Peafowl // Evolution of Domesticated Animals / Mason IL (ed). - New York: Longmann Inc, 1984. - P. 315-318. — ISBN 0-582-46046-8. (English)
• Grimmett R., Inskipp C., Inskipp T.
  [www.pupress.princeton.edu/titles/6808.html Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.] - Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999. - 384 p. — . (English)

Notes

1. Boehme R. L., Flint V. E.
   Five-language dictionary of animal names. Birds. Latin, Russian, English, German, French / Under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., "RUSSO", 1994. - P. 56. - 2030 copies. — ISBN 5-200-00643-0.
2. See [www.zoonomen.net/bio/bioc.html#Chapin for a brief biographical note] in the database [www.zoonomen.net/ "Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource"]. (English)
3. ↑ 1 2
   Kimball
   et al.
   (1997).
4. Akimushkin (1964).
5. Akimushkin (1971); Rakhmanov, Bessarabov (1991).
6. de Boer, van Bocxtaele (1981).

Where are birds most often found?

The most common habitats are countries such as: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka. They are comfortable in areas located at least 2 km above sea level.

Jungles, forests, bushes, river banks are the places where this amazingly beautiful bird lives best.

The main thing is that there are no dense thickets. But they don’t know how to live in open areas.