Courtship Display

<< Previous Next >>
Courtship Display
Photo Information
Copyright: Wing Lee (wingle) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 37 W: 2 N: 79] (413)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-01-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS digital rebel XT, Canon 70-200 mm f 2,8 L IS-USM
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/30 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-21 20:46
Viewed: 417
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Down by the Rodeo Marina, there is a family(or two) of Peafowls living together. No one owns them as pets and they roam and forage freely. I've seen and photographed them on occasion but never have seen one display its upper tail coverts. This time, one started displaying and actually caught me by surprise! I mean no mating call, no unusual behavior, just opened up its full glorious display! Thanks for viewing.

The Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus also known as the Common Peafowl or the Blue Peafowl is one of the species of bird in the genus Pavo of the Phasianidae family known as peafowl. The Indian Peafowl is a resident breeder in the Indian subcontinent. The peacock is the national bird of India.

The species is found in dry semi-desert grasslands, scrub and deciduous forests. It forages and nests on the ground but roosts on top of trees. It eats mainly seeds, but also some insects, fruits and reptiles.

Females are about 86 cm (34 in) long and weigh about 3.4 kg (7.4 lbs), while males average at about 2.12 m (7.3 ft) in full breeding plumage (107 cm/42 in when not) and weigh about 5 kg (11 lbs). The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen. The Indian Peacock has iridescent blue-green plumage. The upper tail coverts on its back are elongated and ornate with an eye at the end of each feather. These are the Peacock's display feathers. The female plumage is a mixture of dull green, grey and iridescent blue, with the greenish-grey predominating. In the breeding season, females stand apart by lacking the long 'tail feathers' also known as train, and in the non-breeding season they can be distinguished from males by the green colour of the neck as opposed to the blue on the males.

Peafowl are most notable for the male's extravagant display feathers, despite actually growing from their back is known as a 'tail' and also known as a train, a result of sexual selection, which it displays as part of courtship. This train is in reality not the tail but the enormously elongated upper tail coverts. The tail itself is brown and short as in the peahen.

They lay a clutch of 4-8 eggs which take 28 days to hatch. The eggs are light brown and are laid every other day usually in the afternoon. The male does not assist with the rearing, and is polygamous with up to six hens.

Indian Peafowl can be companion animals but there may be problems with dogs, cats and other pets. They may roam, roost or mess on adjoining property. Peafowl have been called "urban guard dogs" because their distinctive cries can act as a warning of approaching people. Several British stately homes keep peafowl in the grounds.

Source: Wikipedia

gracious, Patleboss has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

I have not had the opportunity to photograph one of these, but really like seeing them.
Lucky find with the feathers outstretched.Brilliant colours.
I need to spend more time viewing you gallery. The in flights look excellent.
TFS

Hello Wing,
Perfectly captured of this beauty in best pov!
perfect sharpness, awesome colour and so much details
thanks so much for the wonderful notes and information!
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2686 W: 67 N: 9202] (28772)
  • [2007-10-23 8:14]

Hello Wing

A well composed shot of this peacock displaying.The full fan of the feathers fills the frame fantastically.Ouch!Anyway the colours are well saturated and the focus and details are sharp.Very good eye contact.TFS

Rob

Helo Wing
splendid shot very rich in in vivid colors, lovely point of view, focus and sharpness are perfect, very well composed, this is a wonderfull post,
cheer and thanks for sharing,
friendly,
Pat

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF