Grey Junglefowl vs Indian Peafowl
Gallus sonneratii compared with Pavo cristatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Junglefowl | Indian Peafowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gallus sonneratii | Pavo cristatus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 43.6 cm (17.2 in) | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) |
| Weight | 855.25 g (30.17 oz) | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous; forages for seeds, invertebrates, berries, and small animals by scratching in Indian dry forest. | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … |
| Clutch Size | 2-10 | 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
Grey Junglefowl
Distinctive crow 'kyuk-KYUK-kyuk-kuKUK'; lower and slower than Red Junglefowl. Indian species calling from jungle edge at dawn. Alarm is a cackling rattle; females give soft contact clucks to chicks.
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
Grey Junglefowl
Endemic to peninsular India; resident of dry deciduous forest, scrub, and thorn jungle, mainly in southern and western India.
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Conservation Status
Grey Junglefowl
Indian Peafowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey Junglefowl
Male dark grey with white shaft streaks and yellow waxy spots on hackles; black breast; red serrated comb. Female grey-brown with white shaft streaks on breast; both sexes with distinctively …
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
Grey Junglefowl
A medium-sized Phasianidae junglefowl (~855 g) endemic to peninsular India. Males have grey-spotted hackles with waxy yellow shaft-streaks and a prominent red comb. Inhabits scrub and open deciduous forest. Diet includes seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. Contributed to the domestic chicken gene pool; 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.