Indian Peafowl vs Kalij Pheasant
Pavo cristatus compared with Lophura leucomelanos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Kalij Pheasant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Lophura leucomelanos |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) | 42.4 cm (16.7 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 883.5 g (31.16 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Omnivorous; eats seeds, berries, fallen fruit, invertebrates, and small vertebrates; forages by scratching. |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 5-10 |
| 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
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.
Kalij Pheasant
Loud, crowing 'kowe-KOW' calls; sharp and slightly nasal. Himalayan forest species with raucous alarm cackle. Males wing-drum at dawn. Contact calls low clucking; widely heard on Himalayan trails.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Kalij Pheasant
Resident of montane forest, scrub, and bamboo from the Himalayas (Pakistan to Yunnan) south through Myanmar to peninsular Malaysia, at 300–3,000 m.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Kalij Pheasant
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Kalij Pheasant
Male glossy blue-black with white rump in some subspecies; curved crest; white-fringed flank feathers; red facial wattle. Female mottled brown with dark shaft streaks; highly variable across many subspecies.
About These Birds
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.
Kalij Pheasant
A medium-sized Phasianidae pheasant (~884 g) widespread across Himalayan foothills and Southeast Asian forest edges from Pakistan to southwestern China. Males vary in plumage across many subspecies, generally dark with white markings. Feeds on seeds, roots, and invertebrates. Least Concern; adapts to disturbed forest.