Indian Peafowl vs Bornean Peacock-Pheasant
Pavo cristatus compared with Polyplectron schleiermacheri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Bornean Peacock-Pheasant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Polyplectron schleiermacheri |
| 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) | 37.4 cm (14.7 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 512.0 g (18.06 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Ground forager in Bornean lowland forest; eats seeds, fruits, invertebrates, and small animals. |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 1 |
| 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.
Bornean Peacock-Pheasant
Soft, plaintive 'kwii-kwii' whistle; rarely heard from Bornean lowland peat swamp. Poorly documented vocally. Alarm presumably a sharp 'kek'. Males produce soft calls during ocellated tail display.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Bornean Peacock-Pheasant
Endemic to Borneo; resident of lowland and hill forest in Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan; one of the rarest pheasants.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Bornean 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
Bornean Peacock-Pheasant
Male brown with dense small iridescent blue-green ocelli across wings and tail; reddish-pink orbital skin; white speckled face. Female similar but smaller; ocelli reduced and duller; 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.
Bornean Peacock-Pheasant
One of the rarest Phasianidae pheasants (~512 g), endemic to lowland primary forests of Borneo. Males have brown plumage densely patterned with iridescent blue-green ocelli. Rarely observed; forages on seeds and invertebrates. Endangered due to rapid destruction of Bornean lowland forest; few confirmed recent records.