Common peafowl

Common peafowl presentation

1. By- Sanju Sah St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar , Kathmandu Department of Microbiology Common Peafowl

2. CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

3. INTRODUCTION Peafowl  is the common name for members of two species of large  birds of the pheasant family Phasianidae ,  Pavo cristatus  (Indian peafowl) and  Pavo muticus  (green peafowl). Males are known as ‘Peacocks’ and females as ‘Peahens’. It is characterized by crested heads, long legs, heavy wings, and resplendent blue or green plumage, as well as males having long, brilliant, back feathers (upper tail coverts) that can be erected and fanned out and have iridescent, eye-like spots. Peafowl are best known for the male's extravagant "tail" which is displayed as part of courtship. Many of the brilliant colors of the peacock plumage are due to an optical interference phenomenon (Bragg reflection) based on periodic nanostructures found in the barbules (fiber-like components) of the feathers.

4. A MALE PEAFOWL

5. Peacock The male (peacock) Indian peafowl has iridescent blue-green or green colored plumage. The so-called "tail" of the peacock, also termed the "train," consists of highly elongated upper tail coverts. The train feathers have a series of eyes that are best seen when the train is fanned. The actual tail feathers are short and gray-colored and can be seen from behind when a peacock's train is fanned in a courtship display. During the molting season, the males shed their stunning train feathers and reveal the unassuming gray-colored tail that is normally hidden from view beneath the train.

6. Peahen Female Peafowl lack the bright colours of the male and have a more duller appearance; has a mixture of dull green, brown, and gray in her plumage.  Peahens are generally brown in colour with lighter underparts . They also lack the long upper tail coverts. They may have some iridescent green colouring on their neck. The female can also display her plumage to ward off female competition or danger to her young.

7. HABITAT Peafowl are mainly ground-dwelling birds preferring forests and farmland. They can also be found in bushlands and rainforests. Many will nest on the ground while some will roost in trees. It generally prefers a habitat mosaic of scrub and open areas, with adequate sites for ‘dust bathing’ and ‘ lekking ’, a phenomenon where males are known to congregate in open areas for displaying to attract females. Dust bathing is critical as this bird has to condition its feathers and remove feather-degrading bacteria and other external parasites.

8. DISTRIBUTION Before 1984, it occurred up to the low-lying foothills of the outer Himalayan range, but by 1984 it was chiefly restricted to parks and reserves below 330 m and rare outside the protected area system. It has been protected in Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park, Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Dang Deukhuri foothills forests Important Bird Area, etc.

9. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE Peafowl are omnivores and their diet consists of plants and flower petals, seeds, ants, termites, ticks and locust. They will also eat small reptiles such as young Cobra snakes, arthropods and amphibians. Pavo cristatus  feather extract in the form of water or ash can be used to treat the poisonous bites of Russell vipers ( Vipera russelii ) , common cobras  Naja naja , and Malabar pit vipers ( Trimeresurus malabaricus ) . The extract is high in iron, protein, and steroids, and acts as an inhibitor to harmful enzymes in the venom that cause tissue damage. Feathers can also be used as decorations.

10. Peacock and Peahen (left to right).

11. THE END