Peacocks are omnivorous birds that, in their natural habitat, feed primarily on seeds, fruits, berries, plants, vegetables, insects, frogs, and small reptiles.
On the other hand, in captivity, the chicks must be fed corn, fresh vegetables, and insects, mainly worms and earthworms. Adult peacocks should instead be fed corn, barley, rice, fresh vegetables, insects, and good quality dog and cat food. If you have a patio with dirt or grass, the peacocks will provide themselves with insects, and you will only need to supplement their diet with other foods.
The feeding of peacocks is a very important point because they are birds very sensitive to dietary imbalances, which are one of the main causes of mortality during the first stages of life, causing them problems in the digestive and intestinal systems.
Characteristics of peacocks
Peacocks are land birds whose flight ability is limited to short glides at low altitudes. They live in woods, both wet and dry, but adapt easily to life in cultivated areas or close to human populations. The male and female are easily distinguished because they possess a series of different physical characteristics.
The male peacock can reach a length of 2.2 meters and weigh up to 5 kilograms. The plumage of the belly, chest, neck, and head is an intense and brilliant blue; while that of the back is composed of green and black feathers, with bronze and copper reflections. On the head, they have a tuft of very fine feathers, also intense blue. They have an incredible tail with feathers of different colors dotted with ocelli (round, multicolored spots that look like eyes), which they open like a fan to impress the females.
The female peacock is smaller, around 1 meter and weighs around 3 kilos. The female has a reddish-brown head above and behind and white in front, her neck is metallic green, her breast dark brown with green tints, and the upper part of her neck a brown color. On the head, it also has a tuft of fine feathers, but brown in color with green edges. It does not have the male’s large fan-shaped tail.
