The Green peafowl (Pavo muticus) is a peafowl species native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Due to their natural beauty, these birds are still sometimes targeted by the pet trade, feather collectors, and even by hunters for meat. They are a much-desired bird for private and home aviculturists, despite their rather high-maintenance care requirements.
The sexes of Green peafowl are quite similar in appearance, especially in the wild. Both males and females have long upper-tail coverts (which cover the tail itself, underneath). In the male, this extends up to 2 m (6.6 ft) and is decorated with eyespots; in the female, the coverts are green and much shorter, just covering the tail. Outside of the breeding season, however, the male's train is moulted; distinguishing the sexes during this period can be difficult unless they are observed quite up close. The neck and breast feathers (of both sexes) are highly iridescent green and resemble dragon scales. In the male, the scapular, median, and greater wing coverts are blue; the lesser coverts are green and form a triangle of scaly shoulder feathers (when the wing is closed). The secondaries are black and, in some subspecies, the tertials are brown and/or barred with a faint pattern. The female has blue lesser coverts and lacks the triangle at the wing-shoulder. Females also have neck scales fringed with copper, as well as more barring on the back, the primaries and alula. Both sexes have shafted crests, are long-legged, heavy-winged, and long-tailed in silhouette. The crest of the female has slightly wider plumes, while those of the male are thinner but taller. The facial skin is double-striped with a whitish-blue; beside the ear is a yellow-orange crescent. The dark triangle below the eye (towards the eyebrow) is bluish-green in the male, and brown in the female. Seen from a distance, they are generally dark-coloured birds with pale vermillion- or buff-coloured primaries, which are quite visible in their peculiar flight; this action has been described as a true "flapping" flight, lacking the gliding that one associates with many birds.
Green peafowl were widely distributed in Southeast Asia in the past but are now only patchily distributed in China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam. These birds are found in a wide range of habitats, including primary and secondary forests, both tropical and subtropical, as well as evergreen and deciduous. They may also be found amongst bamboo, on grasslands, savannas, scrub, and farmland edges. In Vietnam, their preferred habitat is dry, deciduous forest close to the water, and away from human disturbance.
Green peafowl are forest birds that usually spend time on or near the ground in tall grasses and sedges. At night family units roost in trees at a height of 10-15 m (33-49 ft). During the day they can be found in small groups spending their time foraging on the ground, drinking, preening, and resting in the shade. They look for their food by scratching around in leaf litter either early in the morning or at dusk. Green peafowl are generally silent. The males usually call from their roost sites every morning and at dawn and dusk and have a loud call of 'ki-wao'. The females' call is a loud 'aow-aa' ” repeated at short intervals; males, however, may also make a similar call.
Green peafowl are believed to be polygynous; this means that one male can mate with more than one female. However, males are solitary and do not display in leks; they are highly territorial and form harems with no pair bonds. In captivity, these birds have been observed to be strongly monogamous (one male to one female). Breeding occurs between April and June and during this time males perform courtship displays to attract the female. When the pair is formed, the birds will nest on the ground in a very protected site laying 3 to 6 eggs. Incubation usually lasts during 26-28 days by the female alone. Chicks are precocial; they are hatched with their eyes open and are able to leave the nest very soon after hatching. The young can fly 2 weeks after hatching but usually remain in the family group until the next breeding season.
Green peafowl are threatened due to loss of habitat and hunting for their beautiful feathers as well as for food. Although there is no natural range overlap with the Indian peafowl, hybridization is still another threat where the Indian peafowl is introduced as they produce fertile hybrids. In captivity, hybrids are called "Spalding" peafowl and are used by breeders to create different breeds. Through backcrossing, some hybrids become almost indistinguishable from pure Green peafowl. As the species as a whole is sometimes called "Java peafowl" in aviculture, the subspecies of Green peafowl are also mixed in captivity and there are many captive birds of unknown provenance. In some areas of their native range, captive Green peafowl have sometimes been released in the vicinity of a breeding station even though their true origins remain unknown. Wild Green peafowl also suffer from poisoning in some areas as they are regarded as a crop pest by farmers.
Population numberAccording to the IUCN Red List, the total Green peafowl population size is around 15,000-30,000 individuals. This includes 10,000-19,999 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
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