Visitors to the park often see our peafowl roaming freely across the park and there have been a few additions to the family as there have been a few babies this season!

Our babies can be seen following their mums around and look like mini versions of them! Our peacocks are very friendly which is why we are able to allow them to wander around the park and not keep them within an enclosure. And, if you don’t manage to catch a glimpse of them you’ve most probably heard them – Peacocks are very vocal animals, particularly in breeding season. They display a selection of various calls to each other ranging from honks to meow-like sounds! 

It’s not a well known fact but there are three species of peacock still living today –  the Indian, Congo and Green – with ours being Indian. The male Indian peacock displays a bright blue head and chest, with an array of colours on his long impressive tail feathers.  These feathers can make up to two-thirds of the birds’ body length.  The purpose of the tail feathers is for the male to fan them out to help him attract a female mate.

The more impressive the feathers look, the higher the probability of him finding a mate. However there is a trade-off to how long and heavy he should make his feathers as this would restrict his mobility and ability to fly and escape from predators. It really is an example of ‘the survival of the fittest’!

Females are not as brightly coloured as the males, they are a grey-brownish colour, and are better at camouflaging away from predators, particularly when sitting on eggs in a nest. You may also see some pure white peahens, which are naturally occurring albino mutations. In the wild these bright birds would be extremely vulnerable to predators so are seen less often.

Our peacocks are quite territorial and can be seen with several females surrounding them. After mating, some of the females will choose to nest in or under trees. They will incubate fertilised eggs for 28-30 days, after which around 4-6 young will hatch out. These will then follow mum, feeding from her bill before eventually learning what they are able to eat; usually insects and small grubs.

As the native bird of India it is highly protected in many areas in the wild but pleasingly, its population numbers remain fairly abundant.
Keep an eye, and an ear, out for our friendly peacock families next time you visit us.