Indian Peafowl vs Grey Peacock-Pheasant
Pavo cristatus compared with Polyplectron bicalcaratum
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Grey Peacock-Pheasant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Polyplectron bicalcaratum |
| 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) | 40.2 cm (15.8 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 479.75 g (16.92 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Omnivorous forest floor forager; takes seeds, fruits, invertebrates, and small vertebrates in mainland SE Asia. |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 2-5 |
| 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.
Grey Peacock-Pheasant
Loud, penetrating 'kow-WEE' whistle; most vocal of peacock-pheasants, ringing through SE Asian forest. Male calls while displaying ocellated tail. Alarm is sharp 'kak'. Heard at dawn and dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Grey Peacock-Pheasant
Resident of hill and montane forest from northeastern India and Bangladesh east through Myanmar to southern China and mainland Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Grey Peacock-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
Grey Peacock-Pheasant
Grey-brown with buff-white shaft streaks and dark vermiculations; large oval iridescent green and purple ocelli on wing coverts and tail; white-scaled face; yellow orbital skin. Female similar but smaller ocelli.
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.
Grey Peacock-Pheasant
The most widespread Polyplectron peacock-pheasant (~480 g), inhabiting forest understorey from northeastern India through mainland Southeast Asia. Males are grey-brown peppered with violet-green ocelli. Forages on the ground for seeds, invertebrates, and small reptiles. Tolerates secondary forest; Least Concern.