Indian Peafowl vs Himalayan Snowcock
Pavo cristatus compared with Tetraogallus himalayensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Peafowl | Himalayan Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pavo cristatus | Tetraogallus himalayensis |
| 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) | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Weight | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) | 2471.5 g (87.18 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … | Forages on seeds, alpine grasses, shoots, berries, and invertebrates; digs for roots in Himalayan snowfields. |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 5-10 |
| 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.
Himalayan Snowcock
Loud 'whi-WHEEEOO' whistles carrying across Himalayan valleys from high-altitude scree slopes. Far-carrying, slightly mournful quality. Alarm is rapid barking 'kak'; flocks noisy when disturbed.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Himalayan Snowcock
Resident of rocky alpine slopes from Kazakhstan and Afghanistan east through the Karakoram and Himalayas to western China, at 3,000–5,500 m.
Conservation Status
Indian Peafowl
Himalayan Snowcock
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
Himalayan Snowcock
Grey-brown upperparts with pale buff streaks; white underparts boldly marked with chestnut lateral neck stripes; dark grey breast-band; white outer tail feathers conspicuous in flight; orange-red 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.
Himalayan Snowcock
A large Phasianidae snowcock (~2.47 kg) of rocky subalpine and alpine zones across the Himalayas and Central Asian ranges at 3,000–5,500 m. White-and-grey plumage with chestnut neck stripes. Gregarious in winter flocks; feeds on alpine plants, roots, and invertebrates. Introduced to Nevada; Least Concern.