Peacock

The blue peacock (Pavo cristatus) is a species of bird from the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It belongs to the order of chicken birds and is one of the best known representatives of this group of birds, along with the pheasant and the domestic chicken. The rooster is bright blue on the neck, breast and belly. Depending on the incidence of light, the plumage can shimmer greenish and golden. A narrow band extending from the nostrils to the eye, as well as a broad, semi-oval area under the eye, is white and naked. In relation to the body, the head turns out rather small.

The train of males consists of very elongated, one to one and a half meter long upper tail coverts. These can be erected into a fan-shaped wheel. The vividly glowing feather pattern of large, blue iridescent "eyes" is used to deter predators, who are supposed to interpret them as the eyes of large mammals. If this is not enough to send an attacker fleeing, the rooster sets the fanned tail feathers into a loud rattling motion. The actual tail is much shorter at about 40 to 45 cm. It is brown and consists of control feathers arranged in several stages.

The shimmering of the feather rays is achieved by a fine crystal-like structure, which has a grid-like structure. This surrounds the ends of the feathers and is arranged to reflect light at different angles, similar to iridescent soap bubbles or oil spots on puddles of water. The structures are made of melanin and keratin. In behavioral biology, the rooster's magnificent plumage, with its striking cover feathers, is known as a visual ornament and is virtually an indicator of its genetic fitness. Although the long train is generally rather obstructive and causes a reduction in flight ability, according to the so-called handicap principle, it is precisely this circumstance that is an indication of healthy, viable offspring for females during mating.