Indian Peafowl vs Green Peafowl
Pavo cristatus compared with Pavo muticus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Green Peafowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Pavo muticus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) | 93.2 cm (36.7 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 2767.5 g (97.62 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Highly omnivorous; eats seeds, grains, berries, invertebrates, small reptiles, and amphibians in SE Asian forest … |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 3-6 |
| 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.
Green Peafowl
Loud, trumpeting 'aa-OW' cries; higher and more melodic than Indian Peafowl. SE Asian species with penetrating quality audible 2+ km. Alarm is rapid explosive yelping. Males call at dawn and …
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Green Peafowl
Native to open forest and river valleys in mainland Southeast Asia from Myanmar to Vietnam, and Java; fragments in southern China; declining.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Green Peafowl
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
Green Peafowl
Dazzling metallic green with bronze and blue iridescence; elongated upper tail coverts with iridescent ocelli forming spectacular train; green-scaled neck and head with erect crest. Female similar but train shorter.
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.
Green Peafowl
A large, iridescent Phasianidae peafowl (~2.77 kg) of open tropical forests and riverside habitats in Southeast Asia. Males display an extraordinarily long, ocellated upper-tail covert train. More slender and greener than the Indian Peafowl. Diet includes fruits, seeds, insects, and small vertebrates. Endangered from hunting and habitat loss.