Lady Amherst's Pheasant vs Indian Peafowl
Chrysolophus amherstiae compared with Pavo cristatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lady Amherst's Pheasant | Indian Peafowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chrysolophus amherstiae | Pavo cristatus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.8 cm (16.1 in) | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) |
| Weight | 738.25 g (26.04 oz) | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous ground feeder; eats seeds, berries, plant shoots, invertebrates, and small animals in montane forests. | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 3-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Indian Peafowl
Open forests, farmland, and areas near water in the Indian subcontinent. Highly adaptable and common near human settlements.
Song & Call Comparison
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Sharp, rasping 'chak-chak' call from Yunnan highland forest; very similar to Golden Pheasant but lower. Alarm is an explosive cackle. Males rarely call; wing clapping and ruff display primary.
Indian Peafowl
Loud, harsh, repetitive 'may-AWE' screaming call, audible over great distances. Display calls are a mewing 'aaaow'. Peacocks call persistently at dawn and before rain.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Native to mountain forest in southwestern China (Yunnan, Sichuan) and adjacent Myanmar; introduced in Britain and scattered localities worldwide.
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Conservation Status
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Indian Peafowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Male with white and black barred ruff; white underparts; iridescent green mantle; crimson crest; elongated white tail barred black up to 1.5 m. Female mottled brown and rufous, similar to …
Indian Peafowl
Males (peacocks) have iridescent blue-green plumage and an enormous train of elongated upper tail coverts with eye-spots. Females (peahens) are brown and cryptically patterned.
Short, stout, greyish-horn bill
About These Birds
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
A brilliantly ornate Phasianidae pheasant (~738 g) from bamboo forest and scrub in southwestern China and adjacent Myanmar. Males sport a green and black head, white cape barred black, and an extremely long white tail. Omnivorous; forages on ground. Introduced to Britain; Least Concern.
Indian Peafowl
The Indian peafowl is the national bird of India and one of the most spectacular birds in the world. The peacock's enormous train, which can span over two meters, is used in elaborate courtship displays where the feathers are fanned and vibrated. Despite their size, peafowl can fly short distances and roost in tall trees.