Indian Peafowl vs Hainan Peacock-Pheasant
Pavo cristatus compared with Polyplectron katsumatae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Hainan Peacock-Pheasant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Polyplectron katsumatae |
| 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) | 32.4 cm (12.8 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 554.6 g (19.56 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Ground forager; eats seeds, fruits, and invertebrates in Hainan Island tropical forest. |
| 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.
Hainan Peacock-Pheasant
Thin whistled 'kwi-kwi' display calls; Hainan endemic, one of world's rarest pheasants. Alarm is a sharp explosive 'kak'. Contact presumably low clucking. Very poorly documented vocally due to rarity.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Hainan Peacock-Pheasant
Endemic to Hainan Island, China; resident of tropical broadleaf forest; critically endangered.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Hainan 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
Hainan Peacock-Pheasant
Male brownish-black with blue-green iridescent ocelli on wings and tail; pinkish orbital skin; whitish-buff facial scaling. Female brown with small green ocelli; both sexes noticeably smaller than mainland relatives.
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.
Hainan Peacock-Pheasant
A small, critically threatened Phasianidae pheasant (~555 g) endemic to the tropical forests of Hainan Island, China. Males bear iridescent blue-green ocelli on a brown ground. Very few individuals remain in severely fragmented habitats. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates. Endangered from near-total loss of original forest cover.