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Peacock


Peacock
Photo Information
Copyright: Joe Kellard (joey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1583 W: 242 N: 5286] (18629)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-11
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi), Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital ISO-1600, Hoya 77mm UV Filter
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Blue Things II [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-07-10 2:57
Viewed: 370
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is a Peacock from Whipsnade Zoo.

I hope you like it!

The term peafowl can refer to the two species of bird in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. The African Congo Peafowl is placed in its own genus Afropavo and is not dealt with here. Peafowl are best known for the male's extravagant tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, though it is common to hear the female also referred to as a "peacock" or "female peacock". The female peafowl is brown or toned grey and brown.

The two species are:

Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus (Asiatic)
Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus (Asiatic)
The Indian Peafowl is a resident breeder in the Indian subcontinent. The peacock is designated as the national bird of India.

The Green Peafowl breeds from Burma east to Java. The IUCN lists the Green Peafowl as vulnerable to extinction due to hunting and a reduction in extent and quality of habitat.

The Indian Peafowl is monotypic, while the Green Peafowl has 3 subspecies, P. muticus spicifer, P. m. imperator and the nominate P. m. muticus. The two species are largely allopatric but will hybridize in captivity.

While the form of Green Peafowl in Yunnan is not separated taxonomically, it differs in a few aspects from other forms, particularly in its forest-dwelling habits, an "odd, monal-like bill", a curiously long hind toe and longer, more slender wings (K. B. Woods in litt. 2000). Some have suggested this is a new subspecies.

Some pheasant breeders have suggested that the Green Peafowl may have more subspecies.

Peafowl have sometimes been included in a distinct family from Pheasants.

The male (peacock) Indian Peafowl has iridescent blue-green or green coloured plumage. The so-called "tail" of the peacock, also termed the "train", is not the tail quill feathers but highly elongated upper tail coverts. The train feathers have a series of eyes that are best seen when the tail is fanned. Both species have a crest atop the head.

The female (peahen) Indian Peafowl has a mixture of dull green, brown, and grey in her plumage. She lacks the long upper tail coverts of the male but has a crest. The female can also display her plumage to ward off female competition or danger to her young.

The Green Peafowl is very different in appearance to the Indian Peafowl. The male has green and gold plumage and has an erect crest. The wings are black with a sheen of blue.

Unlike the Indian Peafowl, the Green Peahen is very similar to the male, only having shorter upper tail coverts and less iridescence. It is very hard to tell a juvenile male from an adult female.

Many of the brilliant colours of the peacock plumage are due to an optical interference phenomenon (Bragg reflection) based on (nearly) periodic nanostructures found in the barbules (fiber-like components) of the feathers.

Different colours correspond to different length scales of the periodic structures. For brown feathers, a mixture of red and blue is required: one colour is created by the periodic structure, and the other is a created by a Fabry-Perot interference peak from reflections off the outermost and innermost boundaries of the periodic structure.

Such interference-based structural colour is especially important in producing the peacock's iridescent hues (which shimmer and change with viewing angle), since interference effects depend upon the angle of light, unlike chemical pigments.

The peafowl are forest birds that nest on the ground. The Pavo peafowl are terrestrial feeders but roost in trees.

Both species of Peafowl are believed to be polygamous. However, it has been suggested that "females" entering a male Green Peafowl's territory are really his own juvenile or subadult young (K. B. Woods in litt. 2000) and that Green Peafowl are really monogamous in the wild. The male peacock flares out its feathers when it is trying to get the females attention. Those who subscribe to this notion cite the similarities between the sexes.

During mating season they will often emit a very loud high pitched cry.

Peafowl are omnivorous and eat plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects and other arthropods, reptiles, and amphibians.

In common with other members of the Galliformes, males possess metatarsal spurs or "thorns" used primarily during intraspecific fights.

Asiatic peafowl like the Indian Blue Peafowl, and especially the Green Peafowl, occupy a similar niche as the roadrunners, Secretary Bird, and seriemas. All of these birds hunt for small animals including arthropods on the ground and tall grass and minnows in shallow streams.

Because of human encroachment into their natural territories, peafowl and humans have come into increasing contact. Because of their natural beauty some are reluctant to classify the birds as pests but their presence can be disturbing.

Thanks!
ramthakur, JORAPAVI, SelenE, haraprasan, Amadeo, red45, jaycee, fartash, zulfu, eqshannon, boreocypriensis has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To lawbert: Cheers!joey 1 07-12 03:33
To ramthakur: Hijoey 1 07-12 03:29
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Critiques [Translate]

We Indians, indeed, are proud of our national bird, Joe. It is a highly protected bird and there are severe laws against harming it.
Your head shot of this beautiful bird is a collector's item and I am going to do that in a short while.
Besides technical excellence, the picture is a delightful combination of subtle and beautiful colours. Do I also see a bit of blue sky reflected on the bird's eye?
I tried shooting a huge male Peacock in Gurgaon a couple of weeks ago, but it sensed my presence and turned jittery. When I had taken a couple of shaky shots, it took off with its huge wingspan fully visible and I stood rooted to the spot. You in my place would have tried to grab an in-flight shot :).
Thanks for sharing this lovely portrait.
Ram

A very nice close up, Joe. Sublime colors. smeared out BG. vivid plummage.

Subhayan.

Hello Joe,
Well done.
Very sharp and bright Peacock portrait.
Well applied POV and DOF. Nicely blurred BG as a consequence.
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 0 N: 163] (2092)
  • [2008-07-10 3:45]

Very good portrait, it's bright and beautiful

  • Great 
  • vral Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 55 W: 0 N: 151] (652)
  • [2008-07-10 4:16]

Hello Joe,

Awesome portrait of Peafowl. Brilliant shades of blue, details are excellent. I just love it.

TFS

Hola Joe,
Precioso retrato, magníficos colores, buena nitidez apreciandose muy bien las texturas, luz y fondo agradables, saludos
José Ramón

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 991 W: 23 N: 2776] (10124)
  • [2008-07-10 6:37]

Great shot Joe,
and excellent DOF with supern colours and detail...hope you didn;t get too close.
tfs
Paul

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2305 W: 59 N: 3685] (11810)
  • [2008-07-10 6:50]

Hi Joe,
It's a very nice portait. Colors, focus, sharpness, contrast and composition look lovely. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

Hi Joe,
A nice capture of this peacock's portrait. Very well captured with sharp details and a lovely composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hello Joe
Well this seems OK!!
No honestly..there are so many things that could go wrong here..The irredescent plumage could easily turn out a blurry mess..The whites could have over exposed...the herl on the head feathers could just be featureless...Well none of these apply at all here!!
Its a superbly composed portrait and shows your skills off perfectly.

All the Best
Paul

Ps..I recieved the lorry load of hats and they were really usefull in all the rain...a lot more waterproof than a crown!!...seriously tho Joe..Thanks so much for your words on the Great Tit...It means a lot from someone of your talent.

  • Great 
  • Amadeo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 182 W: 0 N: 581] (2586)
  • [2008-07-10 10:02]

Hola Joe, muy bueno el retrato, buen detalle, luz y color. Un saludo

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2805 W: 75 N: 7845] (26275)
  • [2008-07-10 10:15]

Hello Joe!

Classic portrait of beautifull bird. Blue shinning colours look simply amazind. Royal pose suits this proud bird. Very interesting note.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1684 W: 8 N: 4321] (14053)
  • [2008-07-10 11:26]

Hi Joe,

I tried so hard to get a good Peacock shot when I was in India - and failed. Not sure if they didn't like people or cameras but as soon as they sensed I was near they disappeared. Guess I have to go to the zoo. This is a perfect portrait with magnificent colors, a fantastic eye, and beautiful details. I love his "hat."

Jane

Hi Joe
Excellent shot of this Peacock.
Perfect exposure, BG and POV.Welldone my friend.

Regards
Fartash

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1292 W: 104 N: 4592] (20421)
  • [2008-07-10 14:08]

Well done Joe! That'sa a great portrait of this proud bird, good tight crop, great details and a perfect exposure, well done, thanks!

Mario

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 476 W: 0 N: 70] (491)
  • [2008-07-10 14:16]

Hello Joe, wonderful capture of a peafowl with great colours, details and framing. Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards,

Mehmet

Let me guess...somewhere along the line you KNEW I would have to add this to my blue theme eh? I didn't know until reading Rams post that it was India's national bird but that figures. East Indians are so cleaver with the colours. They have a natural almost genetic predisposition to take very colourful images...and wear same in clothing...It is hard to tell when a person from India is at a party! Very super best of images!
Bob

Hi Joe,
A perfect portrait capture of a male peafowl with wonderful POV and DOF.
Well composed and detailed.
TFS and Cheers my friend OwlMan:-)

Bayram

Hi,
On the road, just marking excellent pictures.
Thanks
Pekka

Hi Joe, wonderful portrait with fantastic colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Joe,
Another perfect portrait in great natural light and clear and saturated colours. Very sharp details. Excellent POV, DOF and composition. Beautiful BG.
Regards,
Peter

Hallo Joey
An opportunity well taken. What a beautiful big bird with lovely colours in its feathers. This is a striking close-up with lots of details to appreciate. A great pose, as if it was waiting for you to photograph it. The crown of feathers is really stunning, and the flash light in the eye is just the cherry on the cake. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy your day.
Anna.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-11 21:34]

Hello Joey

A beautiful capture of this peacock.
The feather definition is awesome.
Lovely pov and dof.
The plumage colours are rich and well saturated.
TFS
Rob

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 24 N: 4885] (15930)
  • [2008-07-15 6:50]

Hi Joe,
Outstanding shot of this beautiful Peacock with such amazing colours and sharpness. The crest looks so beautiful and extravagant. We indeed are very proud of our National Bird. Very neat and sharp image with perfect lighting and exposure. Excellent DOF, POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

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