Indian Peafowl vs Germain's Peacock-Pheasant
Pavo cristatus compared with Polyplectron germaini
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Germain's Peacock-Pheasant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Polyplectron germaini |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) | 38.1 cm (15.0 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 453.5 g (16.00 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Forages in Vietnamese and Cambodian forest for seeds, fruits, invertebrates, and small animals. |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 1-2 |
| 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.
Germain's Peacock-Pheasant
High, thin 'kweee' whistle repeated during male display; Vietnam endemic with slightly mournful quality. Alarm is a sharp 'kak'. Contact calls between pairs are low soft clucks on forest floor.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Germain's Peacock-Pheasant
Endemic to southern Vietnam and extreme southern Cambodia; resident of lowland and hill evergreen forest.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Germain's 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
Germain's Peacock-Pheasant
Male dark brown densely covered in iridescent green ocelli on wings and graduated tail; reddish orbital skin; buff-scaled face. Female similar but ocelli smaller and less iridescent; dark brown overall.
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.
Germain's Peacock-Pheasant
A medium-small Phasianidae pheasant (~454 g) of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests in southern Vietnam and adjacent Cambodia. Males are cryptically brown, patterned with violet-green ocelli. Shy and seldom observed; forages on the ground for seeds and invertebrates. Vulnerable from ongoing deforestation.