Peacocks have an incredible beauty that, unfortunately, is sometimes offset by the unpleasant honking and screaming noises they make as they strut around. These smart birds are not afraid of people, often getting up close and personal to satisfy their reciprocal curiosity of humans who stop to admire their feathers. Kids who want to learn more about how these birds behave will find facts about peacocks to be extremely interesting.
Peacock Feathers, Habitat, Behavior, and More Information
Magnificent birds fluff their feathers, hold their heads high, and strut their stuff. Curious readers will love learning about all the ways these remarkable birds communicate using body language and spreading their feathers in grand gestures of showmanship, territoriality, and mating calls. Fun children's books about peacocks interweave relatable themes around friendship, conflict, self-confidence, and adventure. Kids will love reading about the most distinguishable birds with astonishing beauty and interesting behavior unlike any other.
(1) The term peacock only applies to the male gender of the bird.
The species is actually called peafowl. Peahen is the term for females in the peafowl family. An entire family of peafowl is referred to as a bevy.
(2) Every year after mating season, peacocks naturally shed their trains.
People can gather their feathers for collection and decoration without causing any harm to the birds. Since peacocks live an average of 20 years, each one produces plenty of feathers over the course of a lifetime.
(3) Peacocks can actually fly, though they are much more comfortable on the ground.
Their tail feathers, reaching up to six feet long, make it difficult for peacocks to fly for long periods of time or far distances.
(4) Most peacocks are known for their brilliant green and blue hues.
These colors are created by lightwaves that pass through microscopic parts of their feathers. Although rare, some peafowl are entirely white due to a genetic mutation.
(5) Peafowl were considered a delicacy during Roman times.
The birds were plucked, pruned, roasted, and then re-feathered before being placed on the serving platter. Tongues were an especially important edible part. They allegedly tasted terrible and wreaked havoc on digestive systems, resulting in the discontinuation of their appearance on dining tables. The last recorded meal occurred in 1914, after which time the bird was retired from the menu.
(6) Peafowl survival in the wild for about 15 to 25 years.
Like other wild animals, these birds can succumb to a variety of threats. Some of the most common causes of death include heatstroke, bacterial infections, septicemia, and contagious diseases. They also fall prey to attacks from coyotes. When they live in captivity, peafowl can live from forty to fifty years assuming they cared for properly.
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