The Power Of The Peacock: 10 Facts You Never Knew About This Majestic Bird

Peacocks are one of the most striking birds. With their beautiful plumage, they are eye-catching and majestic. However, not many people are familiar with these spectacular birds. Hold on to your tail feathers because I am going to share 10 peacock facts that are sure to blow your mind.

1. The Peacocks You Imagine Are Male

When I say peacock, you probably envision something specific—a slender blue body with impressive green and blue plumage. However, not all peacocks look like that. Similar to other bird species, the male is the more colorful of the pair. Those peacocks you have come to know and love are male. Additionally, peacock only refers to the male; females are referred to as peahens.

2. Tail On Full Display

Besides being beautiful, the tail feathers of a male peacock serve a vital purpose. During mating seasons, they put on quite a show for the peahens. They spread their tail feathers wide into a fan and make vocal calls, letting the female know they are courting her.

3. Beauty Takes Time

Next on our list of peacock facts, we have this gem. Peacocks are not just born with their beautiful plumage. On the contrary, it takes years to develop. When they hatch, and for months afterward, male and female peachicks look identical. Then, when males are about three months old, they begin to develop some color. However, they do not reach full maturity and tail brightness until they are three years old.

4. Peacocks Are A Symbol Of Beauty

This should come as no surprise, given how beautiful of birds they are. However, the Sandiego Animal Sanctuary shares that "In Hinduism, the peacock is considered a sacred bird symbolizing compassion, love, and immortality." Furthermore, their feathers are often used in ceremonies.

5. Peahens Are Picky With Their Men

It will take more than stellar plumage to attract a peahen. Treehugger shares that "Peahens judge males' fitness by their visual display." While that does include the color and display of their plumage, it also consists of the way they dance and vocalize during their performance. Scientists have discovered that the angle of their feathers is more important than their size.

6. Peahens Have A Special Sensor

Their crests are more than decorative. During mating season, when the peacocks are putting on their display and rattle their tails, the peahens can feel the display in their crest. So she is not only judging him and his display with her eyes, but her crest as well.

7. Older Peahens Can Default To Male Characteristics

When a peahen is older, or her ovaries are damaged, she will stop producing as much estrogen. After that, she will begin to look and sound more like a male peacock. Treehugger shares that male characteristics are the default development, and peahens are only plainer looking because their hormones repress their plumage. Most likely to keep them hidden from predators while they care for their young.

8. Peacocks Can Fly

You may be wondering why this is so exciting. Can't most birds fly? Yes, although this still makes it onto the interesting list of peacock facts because most people assume peacocks cannot fly. Usually, people think this is due to their massive size. Although they cannot fly very far at one time, they fly remarkably well, considering their size and long plumage.

9. Peacocks Can Be Fully White

While they are less common than the beautiful blue peacocks we are accustomed to seeing, snow-white peacocks can be achieved by selective breeding. However, these birds are not albinos. Instead, they have a genetic condition called leucism, which affects only the loss of pigmentation in their feathers.

10. Not All Peacocks Have Massive Tails

This is one of those peacock facts I didn't know. I assumed they all had an impressive tail display. However, the Congo, a lesser-known species, has a more petite, shorter tail. While they also fan out during mating rituals, they are far smaller than the traditional peacock's plumage.

So, did you know any of these incredible peacock facts? Try and test your knowledge on sharks, polar bears, or whales next!