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Peacock displaying in East Park, Kingston upon Hull.
Peacock displaying in East Park, Kingston upon Hull.

The Indian peafowl is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been introduced to many other countries. Birds live mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but also prey on snakes, lizards, and small rodents, though they fly into tall trees to roost. Male birds are brightly coloured, and are known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Despite the length and size of these covert feathers, peacocks are still capable of flight. The female lacks the train, has a white face and iridescent green lower neck, and dull brown plumage. The function of the peacock's elaborate train has been debated for over a century. In the 19th century, Charles Darwin found it a puzzle, hard to explain through ordinary natural selection. His later explanation, sexual selection, is widely but not universally accepted.(Full article...)