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| Peafowl | ||||||||||||
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An Indian Peacock displaying. | ||||||||||||
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Pavo cristatus Pavo muticus Afropavo congolensis |
The species are:
Peafowl are an ancient and isolated group of largely terrestrial Galliform birds belonging to the Pavoninidae.
The typical AsiaThe continent of Asia is defined by subtracting Europe and Africa from the great land mass of Africa-Eurasia. The boundaries are vague, especially between Asia and Europe: Asia and Africa meet somewhere near the Suez Canal. The boundary between Asia and Etic peafowl belonging to the genus Pavo include the familiar Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus and the poorly known Dragonbirds or Green Peafowl Pavo muticus. Some biologists believe that there are at least five distinctive and critically endangered species of Green Peafowl while others categorize them into a single species with three subspecies.
The Arakan Dragonbird Pavo spicifer was once native to Northern Western MyanmarThe Union of Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia, formerly known as Burma . The name of the country was changed in 1989, and this change of name has been officially recognized by the United Nations. Some national governments, such as the United States, Southern TibetThis article is on Historic Tibet. Tibet" can also refer to the Tibet Autonomous Region. Tibet ( Tibetan : , (Bod) pronounced Po, Chinese: , pinyin: Xizang) is a region of Central Asia and the home of the Tibetan people. With an average elevation of 4,900 and AssamAssam Motto Land of the Red River and Blue Hills Freedom from British Rule August 15, 1947 Language Assamese Bodo Karbi Capital Dispur Governor Ajai Singh Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Area 78,438 kmē Population Total (2001) Density 26,414,322 286/kmē Curren. The Indo-Chinese or Siamese Dragonbird Pavo imperator was once native to South East Myanmar and ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is a country in southeast Asia, bordering Laos and Cambodia to the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar to the west. Thailand is also known as Siam which was the country's official n. The Annametic Dragonbird Pavo annamensis inhabited the broadlieaf evergreen forests of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Southern Yunnan China.
The Javanese Green Peafowl, Pavo javanensis is native only to the island of Java. The extinct Malay or Pahang Peafowl Pavo muticus muticus was believed by early naturalists to be identical to the species found on Java. The two are not identical and the peafowl's presence in the fossil record of Java from at least the Pliocene rules out an introduction by humans. Northern Yunnan is the home of one of the most intriguing forms of Green Peafowl. The Yunnan Dragonbird, Pavo yunnanensis is most distinctive.
Peafowl are in nature omnivorous consuming plant parts, flower petals and seed heads when available, but insects and other arthropods are the preferred diet. Vegetable matter provides peafowl with the necessary fiber required to digest hard scales and bones of small reptiles. Unlike the somewha similar Ring-neck Pheasant, Peafowls are obligate predators. This means, that animal protein is a real necessity for health and reproduction.
Asiatic peafowls like the Indian Peafowl and especially the Dragonbirds or Green Peafowls, occupy a similar niche as the RoadrunnerA roadrunner is: in zoology, A roadrunner is one of two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family Cuculidae, order Cuculiformes, native to North and Central America. Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californiana Lesser Roadrunner Geococcyx v, Secretary Bird and Seriama. All of these birds hunt for small animals, minnows, and arthropods on the ground, in shallow streams and frequently in tall grass habitats. Small snakes and other reptiles are the preferred diet of wild peafowl.
Like the Secretary Bird, the Green peafowl dispatches venemous snakes by agitating the reptiles into striking blindly, exhausting them. The peafowl subjugates its prey by flogging with the hard legs and wings. The kicking thorns or metatarsal spurs are also used for defense against predators.
Peafowls inhabit tropical savannah and riparian forests where they hunt for small animals in close social units of related birds that may span many generations.
Though it is often written that peafowl are polygnous in nature, it is almost impossible to distinguish juvenile and subadult green peafowls from their mothers. There is some anectodotal evidence suggesting that green peafowl may have very complex social lives that may include the adoption of one and two year old juveniles by their three and four year old sub-adult siblings.
In captivty, Green Peafowls and African Peafowl are monogamous with males assisting in nest defense,chick rearing, and chick brooding. The male's bond with offspring may extend indefinately. First year chicks that have been weaned by their mothers generally join their father's social unit to forage and rest.
Peafowl are unusual amongst the Galliformes in their capacity for sustained flight.
All known genera of the peafowl family exhibit complex flight displays. The Great Argus has the largest wing surface area of any living bird and makes use of this in slow motion circling glides. The Crested Argus pairs fly together in unison to reach their towering nocturnal perches.
Each distinctive form of Green Peafowl has its own respective wing shape and flight display behavior.
Green Peafowls in Java are often observed flying out to sea where the birds gather on islets some miles from shore.
African Peafowl have unusually large wings in relation to their weight. The wings have a highly unusual shape as well. The African Peafowl or Afropavo wing is prominently marked in both sexes in patterns and colours which act as heliographs while in motion.
All known species of peafowl perch on emergent trees that stand above the canopy.
Peafowl differ from pheasants but are similar to monals and tragopans in their ability to climb altitudinally on the wing so that they may have sufficient lift to enable soaring.
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