Peafowl exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. The males are called peacocks, and the females are referred to as peahens. The male is one of the most recognizable birds, with his bright iridescent plumage and showy fan tail. The females are more plainly colored, in order to blend into their surroundings while they incubate their eggs. In the wild, the female looks at several males and chooses the one with the showiest tail that has the most eyes.
Instructions
1. Look at the bird's head and neck. Both sexes have a tasseled crest, but the male's head and neck are bright blue. The female has a white and black head, with bluish-green feathers on the neck.
2. Look at the body. The peacock's blue coloration continues on the breast and underside. The male's wings are white and black, with salmon colored flight feathers. Peahens have brown and gray bodies, with lighter brown feathers on the breast.
3. Check the tail. During the mating season, peacocks have a long tail feathers called a train. The train can be up to 5 feet long, and makes up 60 per cent of the male's total body length. The male raises the train and spreads it out over his back to impress the peahen. Then he does a dance that makes his tail feathers shimmer. The end of each feather has a large circular marking called an eye. Once the mating season is over, the male sheds his tail feathers. The tail on the peahen is much shorter, and is the same color as the body. The female rarely grows longer than 3 feet in total body length.
