Species: Afropavo congensis = African peacock

In 1913, the New York Zoological Society launched an expedition to Africa led by Herbert Lang. His assistant was a young scientist, Dr. James Chapin, whom the Congolese nicknamed “Mtoto na Langi” (Son of Langa). Scientists wanted to bring from Africa a living forest “giraffe” - the okapi, discovered in 1900 in Eastern Congo.

But capturing the unsociable inhabitant of the dense forests of Africa was not so easy. Two very young okapis, whom they caught with great adventure, soon died. The expedition returned to America in 1915 without the okapi. However, scientists have collected other valuable collections in Africa, and among them are the headdresses of local hunters, decorated with beautiful feathers. The feathers were from different birds. Little by little, Chapin determined which species they belonged to. There was one large feather left, but no one knew whose it was. It was studied by the greatest specialists and experts tropical birds, but the mystery remained still unsolved.

21 years later, Chapin came to Belgium to complete his work on the birds of Africa at the Congo Museum. While looking through the collections of birds here, Chapin accidentally discovered in one of the dark corridors a forgotten cabinet in which uninteresting exhibits were stored. In the closet on the top shelf he found two dusty stuffed animals completely unusual birds, with feathers similar to the striped one of the Congolese head ornaments that has puzzled American ornithologists. Chapin hurried to look at the labels: “Young Common Peacock.”

Common peacock? But what does Congo have to do with it? After all, peacocks - even schoolchildren know this - are not found in Africa.

Chapin later wrote: “I stood there thunderstruck. Lying in front of me—I immediately realized this—were the birds to which my ill-fated feather belonged.”

He learned that, shortly before the First World War, the Congo Museum had received small collections of animals from other museums in Belgium. Most of them were stuffed animals of well-known African birds. But two stuffed animals belonged, as the museum staff decided, to young Indian peacocks. And since peacocks have nothing to do with the Congo, their stuffed animals were abandoned as unnecessary trash.

One quick glance was enough for Chapin to be convinced that in front of him were not peacocks, but still unknown birds of not only a new species, but also a new genus. Undoubtedly, these birds are close to peacocks and pheasants, but they represent a completely special variety of them.

Chapin gave them the name Afropavo congensis, which in Latin means “African peacock from the Congo.”

He had no doubt that he would catch these birds where their feathers were obtained. In addition, one of his acquaintances, who served as an engineer in the Congo, said that in 1930 he hunted unknown “pheasants” in the forests of the Congo and ate their meat. From memory, the engineer sketched a drawing of this game. From the drawing it became clear that we are talking about an African peacock. In the summer of 1937, Chapin flew to Africa. Meanwhile, the news of the discovery of a new genus of large birds is for the first time in many years! - quickly spread around the world. It also reached the banks of the great African river. When Chapin arrived in the city of Stanleyville on the banks of the Congo, seven specimens of African peacocks, hunted by local hunters in the surrounding forests, were already waiting for him.

A month later, Chapin saw with his own eyes a live African peacock. A large rooster flew out of the thickets “with a deafening flapping of wings.” Chapin's guide Anyazi shot at the bird but missed. Two days later, Anyazi was rehabilitated: he shot a “stunning” bird.

Chapin found out that the birds he discovered are well known to the Congolese: they call them itundu or ngowe. They are fairly common inhabitants of the vast forests from the Ituri River in the far northeast of the country to the Sankuru River in the center of the Congo Basin.

An african peacock without a breathtaking tail: no “train”. There are no iridescent “eyes” on the feathers; only some have black, glossless round spots at the ends of the tail coverts. But the “crown” is crowned by the bird’s crown. The bare skin on the head is gray-brown, on the throat it is orange-red.

African peacocks live in monogamy. Monogamous.

The Afro-peacock and the Afro-peacock are inseparable day and night. Dead fruits are pecked nearby or not far from each other. They spend the night, escaping leopards, on the tops of giant trees. At night, their loud voices “Rro-ho-ho-o-a” can be heard a mile away. "Howie-ee." “Gove-e,” echoes the female.

They rarely go out into forest clearings and light edges. Except in the villages, for fruits grown by people. Here they are caught in nooses. Feathers for decoration, meat for the cauldron. (Or live to the zoo.) In the thick of the forest, it is difficult to get these peacocks.

Nests are on high stumps, in the splits of storm-broken trunks, in mossy forks of branches. Two or three eggs. The female incubates. The male is nearby - on guard duty at the nest. His alarm cry sounds like the “cackle” of an excited monkey. The female on the nest immediately accepts necessary measures. Below it falls to the “perch”. The head is under the wing. It is difficult to notice it then on lichens and mosses, on which it incubates eggs without bedding.

After 26-27 days, the Afro-peacocks hatch. The impatient father is waiting for them downstairs. They hide for two days and gain strength in the nest under the mother’s wing. Then they jump down to their father, he calls them with a ringing cackle. This night they sleep under their father’s wings on the ground. And then - some with him, some with their mother on low branches, where (four-day-old!) they can already fly. They live with their parents for six weeks and then everyone goes their own way into the forest world.

Argus are evolutionary links connecting pheasants with Asian peacocks. The African peacock unites peacocks with guinea fowl.i.

Peacock It is considered the most beautiful bird in the world, and the peacock's tail is of extraordinary beauty. Common peacock ( Pavo cristatus), or Indian peacock, is the most numerous species of peacocks, belongs to the order Galliformes, the pheasant family, and the genus Peafowl.

Although Indian peacocks are members of the order Gallinae, this species has been shown to be genetically closer to (Meleagris gallopavo) than to (Gallus gallus).

Description of the peacock and photographs

Common peacocks have a long graceful neck and a small head with a small crest: males have a blue crest, while females have a brown crest, matching the color of their plumage. The peacock's voice is harsh and not very pleasant. The body length of a male peacock reaches 100-125 cm, the length of the tail is 40-50 cm, while the length of the upper tail coverts is 120-160 cm. The weight of a male peacock is 4 – 4.25 kg. The plumage of this beautiful bird contains a wide variety of colors: the back is green, the head, part of the chest and neck are blue, and the underbody is black. The female Indian peacock is smaller and has a more modest, brown color.

Peacock tail

A riot of plumage colors and luxurious fan-shaped ocellates tail created the peacock's image the most beautiful bird in the world. It is interesting that only males can boast of such beautiful tails; females of this species are less fortunate. Their plumage is not fragrant with colors, but consists only of grayish-brown tones. Ornithologists call this sexual dimorphism. It turns out that what we call a peacock's tail is actually nothing more than the feathers of the upper tail. It's all about the growth and placement of the feather. Shorter feathers cover longer ones, reaching one and a half meters in length. The feather consists of sparse thread-like fibers with a bright “eye” at the end.

Peacock is the most beautiful bird in the world

Peacocks are the most beautiful and largest birds in the world, this is what determines human interest in this species. As an exotic miracle, they were kept in Roman parks, first for aesthetic purposes, and then they were caught and served at the table during magnificent feasts. Common peacock meat was seasoned with various spices; it was considered one of the most delicious meat dishes. Nowadays, peacocks are kept exclusively as ornamental birds.

Peacocks can fly

When danger approaches, an ordinary peacock can take off, but the flight will not be long and high: only a few meters ahead.

Types of peacocks

The Indian peacock is not divided into species, but has a huge range of color variations (mutations). The following colors of peacocks are distinguished:

• Wild
• White
• Black-shouldered (black-winged, varnished)
• Motley
• Dark motley
• Cameo, or silvery dun
• Cameo black-shouldered or oatmeal
• White peephole
• Carbonic
• Lavender
• Bronze Buford
• Purple
• Opal
• Peach
• Silver motley
• Midnight
• Yellowish green

The United Peacock Breeding Association officially identifies only 10 primary colors (wild, white, cameo, charcoal, purple, bronze Buford, peach, opal, midnight yellowish green), 5 secondary colors (wild - striped wing, black shoulder, mottled, white eye , silver mottled), as well as 20 variations of the main colors and 185 varieties of the common peacock, which appear as a result of mixing the main colors and their variations.

Peacocks, due to their fan-shaped tail with bright colors, are considered the most beautiful birds of the Pheasant family of the Galliformes order. It is the males who own the long variegated feathers covering the tail, which are flat in shape. Peacocks are divided into two genera: Asian and African. All Asian peacocks are divided into ordinary and green peacocks. Hybrid forms arose in captivity and are called "spalding".

Did you know? Kate Spalding was the first to crossbreed Asian peacock species and produce offspring capable of reproduction.

Let's look at what peacocks are, their classification and characteristics.

Indian or common peacock

The Indian peacock is one of the most numerous species and has no subspecies. In its natural habitat, it is widespread in Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. However, color mutations this species inherent. The bird has been kept by humans for many generations and is subject to artificial selection.

What is commonly called a peacock's tail is not actually one. What are the names of the bright, long feathers that cover the peacock's tail? This plume is called the “uptail”. The length of the peacock's body is 1-1.25 m, the tail is 0.4-0.5 m. The bright feathers of the upper tail are characteristic only of males, they are 1.2-1.6 m long. The head, neck, chest are bright blue, and the lower body black and the back is green. The male has a mass of 4-4.25 kg; the female is smaller, with a calmer color of feathers.

Peacock and peahen up to 1.5 years old external signs are no different. Bright long feathers grow only when the male reaches puberty at the age of 3 years. The blue peacock is a polygamous bird. The male lives with 3-5 females. From April to September, the female lays 4-10 eggs directly on the ground. The incubation period lasts 28 days. In captivity, peacocks can lay up to three clutches per season, but are not very fertile and do not get along well with poultry. The lifespan of a peacock is approximately 20 years.

Peacock breeds are formed by humans as a result of selection work. Let's consider Varieties of the common peacock regarding plumage color:

• White – is not albino, refers to the main color of the plumage, known until 1823;
• Black-shouldered, or lacquered (black-shouldered, japanned) - refers to the secondary color of plumage, known in Europe since approximately 1823, in America since 1830;
• Pied (pied) - belongs to the secondary plumage color, known until 1823;
• Dark pied (dark pied) – known since 1967;
• Cameo, or silver-grayish-brown (cameo, silver dun) - refers to the main color of the plumage, discovered in the USA in 1967;
• Cameo black-shouldered - discovered in the USA in the mid-1970s;
• White-eyed – refers to the secondary color of plumage, discovered in the USA at the end of the 1970s;
• Charcoal - refers to the main color of the plumage, discovered in the USA in 1982. Females of this mutation lay unfertilized eggs;
• Lavender (lavender) - identified in the USA in 1984;
• Buford bronze - refers to the main color of the plumage, identified by Buford Abbolt in the USA in the 1980s;
• Purple – refers to the main color of the plumage, discovered in the USA in 1987;
• Opal – refers to the main color of the plumage, discovered in the USA in the early 1990s;
• Peach (peach) - refers to the main color of plumage, discovered in the USA in the early 1990s;
• Silver pied (silver pied) - refers to the secondary color of plumage, discovered in the USA in 1991-1992;
• Midnight - refers to the main color of the plumage, discovered in the USA in 1995;
• Yellowish-green (jade) - refers to the main color of the plumage, discovered in the USA in 1995.

Important! Along with positive qualities, peacocks have some negative ones: they have a rather unpleasant voice, cause damage to the decorative appearance of their habitat, and are aggressive towards other birds.

There are 20 variations possible for each main plumage color, excluding white. As a result of combinations of primary and secondary colors, 185 varieties of the common peacock can be obtained. Let's look at the main variations of the common peacock.

The white peacock is a fairly common species of the common peacock. Birds have blue eyes, so they cannot be albinos. The white peacock gained fame even before 1823. It was discovered in its natural habitat and has been successfully bred in captivity. The white color of the bird is determined genetically.

The chicks are yellow in color with white wings. Until two years of age, it is impossible to distinguish males and females by color - they are white. A distinctive feature is the length of the legs: in males it is longer. After puberty (after 2 years), the male develops snow-white long feathers. The outlines of the eyes are faintly visible on the tail feathers. To obtain white offspring, it is necessary to cross only white peacocks with white ones.

Important! During the mating season, the peacock spreads its tail, attracting females. Scientists say the spots on a peacock's feathers are an indicator of its immune system. Therefore, the female thus chooses the healthiest male for procreation.

The black-winged peacock (Pavo muticus nigripennis) is a species of the common peacock and is distinguished from it by the blacker, shiny plumage of the shoulders and wings with a bluish tint. The female is slightly lighter in color than the male. Her neck and back are covered with brown and yellowish streaks.

Did you know? Until the end of the 15th century, peacocks in Europe were raised for meat, until this delicacy was replaced by turkey.

The green peacock is a species of Asian peacock, living in Southeast Asia. In its natural habitat it can be found in Indochina, Bangladesh, Northeast India, West Malaysia, Thailand, South China, in Java. Compared to an ordinary peacock, the green one is significantly larger in size, has brighter plumage with a metallic sheen, longer legs, neck and crest, and a less loud and harsh voice.

The male's body length is 1.8-3 m, wings - 0.46-0.54 m, tail 0.4-0.47 m, bright feathers covering the tail - 1.4-1.6 m. Head and upper part of the neck is brown-green in color, the area around the eyes is bluish-gray, the lower part of the neck is greenish-golden scaly type, the chest and back are blue-green with red and yellow spots, the lower back is copper-bronze, shoulders and the wings are dark green, the flight feathers are brown with black and gray spots.

Bird weight up to 5 kg. The elongated feathers are similar in color to the feathers of the common peacock, but have a metallic copper-red hue. The feathers on the crest are wider, the beak is black, the legs are gray. The female is almost identical in color to the male, but differs in smaller size and weight. She is two times smaller than the male and has 4 times less weight.

Let's look at the subspecies of the green peacock, which differ in plumage color and habitat.

The Javan peacock (Pavo muticus muticus) is a subspecies of the green peacock, living in Malaysia and the island of Java. Distinctive feature This subspecies has a golden-green scaly color with a metallic tint and a blue spot on the wings of the bird.

Did you know? The peacock, compared to other poultry, can withstand the winter cold well, suffering little from the snow.

Indochinese green peacock

The Indochinese peacock (Pavo muticus imperator) is a subspecies of the green peacock and lives in Indochina. It is similar to subspecies muticus, but has a dark green neck and more black on the wing coverts and secondaries. The coloring around the peacock's eyes is brighter compared to other subspecies.

The Burmese peacock (Pavo muticus spicifer) is a subspecies of the green peacock and lives in North-East India, in the north-west of Burma. In color it is one of the palest of all subspecies. The neck and chest are olive blue with a metallic tint, the head is dark purple or blue, and there are more black tones on the wings. Since 1940 it has been the national symbol of Myanmar. Specimens of this subspecies are considered almost extinct.

African or Congolese peacock

The African peafowl (Afropavo congensis) was previously considered related to the genus of Asian peafowl. But later a number of differences were discovered, which made it possible to distinguish them into a separate genus. Compared to Asian peacocks, African peacocks show slight differences between males and females, there is no plume of feathers with ocelli in the male, and there are significant differences in the sexual behavior of individuals. The Congo peacock was first described by American zoologist James Chapin in 1936. This is a wild peacock that lives in the forests of Zaire and the Congo River basin.

The male is 64-70 cm long, without feathers on the head, blue-gray, in the throat area orange-red. The neck is covered with short velvety black feathers. On the head is a crest of a bunch of erect feathers. The bird's body is bronze-green on top with large purple edges. The rump, like that of Asian peacocks, is covered with bright oval spots. The tail is black with a greenish-blue border, the undertail is black.

On the long legs there is one spur in both the male and female. The beak is gray with a blue tint. The female is 60-63 cm long, has a chestnut-brown crest, the bare parts of the head are gray-brown, and the neck is red. The body is green with a metallic sheen and light brown stripes. African peacocks are a monogamous species. In nature, they build nests on stumps and in the forks of branches. The female lays and incubates 2-4 eggs for 26-27 days. The male is constantly nearby and guards the nest.

You can be sure that beautiful peacocks with a charming fan will give a lot of aesthetic pleasure to everyone.

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