Description Green peafowl

adult female head , upper neck



male profile



green peafowl, taken in imphal zoo, manipur, india

unlike related indian peafowl, sexes of green peafowl quite similar in appearance, in wild. both sexes have long upper tail coverts cover actual tail underneath. in male extends 2 meters , decorated eyespots or ocelli while in female coverts green , shorter, covering tail. outside breeding season, however, male s train moulted , can difficult distinguish sexes unless observed close. neck , breast feathers of both sexes iridescent green , resemble scales. in male, scapulars, median , greater wing coverts blue while lesser coverts green , form triangle of scaly feathers on shoulder when wing closed. secondaries black , in subspecies tertials brown and/or barred faint pattern. female has blue lesser coverts , therefore lacks triangle @ wing shoulder. females have neck scales fringed copper more barring on primaries , alula. both sexes have shafted crests, , long-legged, heavy-winged , long-tailed in silhouette. crest of female has wider plumes while of male thinner , taller. facial skin double striped white light blue , beside ear yellow orange crescent. dark triangle below eye towards eyebrow bluish-green in male , brown in female. seen distance, dark coloured birds pale vermillion or buff coloured primaries quite visible in peculiar flight has been described true flapping flight little gliding 1 associates galliform birds.

green peafowl more silent indian peafowl. male of subspecies, imperator, have loud call of ki-wao, repeated. female has loud aow-aa call emphasis on first syllable. male may make similar call. males call roost sites @ dawn , dusk.

green peafowl large birds, amongst largest living galliforms in terms of overall size, though rather lighter-bodied wild turkey, , perhaps longest extant, wild bird in total length. male 1.8–3 m (5 ft 11 in–9 ft 10 in) in total length includes tail covert (or train ) measures 1.4–1.6 m (4 ft 7 in–5 ft 3 in). tail coverts longer of male indian peafowl shorter of arguses. adult female around half total length of breeding male @ 1–1.1 m (3 ft 3 in–3 ft 7 in) in length. has relatively large wingspan averages around 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) , can reach 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) in big males. green peafowl capable of sustained flight , observed on wing.