peacock: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 3, 2026

News •

Peacock found in couple’s Brisbane bathroom leads to creative bid to reunite bird with tattoo artist • Nov. 3, 2026, 12:32 AM ET (The Guardian)

Facts

Also Known As	peahen • peafowl

Photos and Videos

A male peacock, Pavo cristatus, stands with its vibrant tail feathers fully fanned out in display before a brown-feathered peahen.

A male Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, with vibrant blue neck and head and a long, colorful green tail with eye-like patterns, stands on a paved surface.

A peacock stands with its vibrant green and blue tail feathers fully fanned out in display, showing eye-like patterns across the plumage.

Male blue Indian peacock standing on grass with its vibrant tail feathers fully fanned out, displaying colorful eyespots in a courtship display.

See how game theory applies to the peacock's tail evolution

See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Topics

Phasianidae turkey pheasant quail partridge jungle fowl francolin monal

pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae

Ultimate Bird Trivia Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.

Ultimate Animals Quiz

turkey vulture. vulture. Close-up of a head and beak of a Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).

A Little Bird Told Me

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names