Indian Peafowl vs Red-crowned Crane
Pavo cristatus compared with Grus japonensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Red-crowned Crane |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Grus japonensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Gruidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) | 150.0 cm (59.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) | 250.0 cm (98.4 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 8900.0 g (313.94 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Omnivorous — fish, amphibians, insects, grasses, and waste grain. Forages in wetlands and agricultural fields. |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 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.
Red-crowned Crane
Freshwater marshes, bogs, and wet grasslands for breeding. Winters in coastal mudflats, estuaries, and rice paddies.
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.
Red-crowned Crane
Spectacular unison 'bugling' call: a clear, resonant, far-carrying trumpet 'kru-ru-ru' given by paired birds simultaneously. Among the most majestic bird calls in Asia.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Red-crowned Crane
Eastern Asia — breeds in northeastern China, southeastern Russia, and Hokkaido, Japan. Winters in Korea and eastern China.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Red-crowned Crane
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
Red-crowned Crane
White body plumage with black secondary flight feathers and throat. Bare red crown patch. Black face and neck. One of the most elegant crane species.
Long, straight, olive-green bill
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.
Red-crowned Crane
The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest crane species and a potent symbol of longevity and fidelity in East Asian culture. Their elaborate unison call and dancing displays have inspired art and folklore for millennia. The resident population on Hokkaido, Japan, recovered from about 33 birds in 1952 to over 1,800 today.