Animal Sacrifices

Author notes

peacock

Emily K

on April 15, 2007

Male peafowl (peacocks) are well-known for their large and colorful tail. It is used to attract peahens, who are brown and dull in comparison, and have very short tails. Most birds lose the sheen and evenness of their plumage if their health goes down, so a peacock’s tail often signals his health. Peacocks with the largest and brightest plumage are often the healthiest. However, their elaborate tail carries a price. When a peacock’s tail is not fanned in display, it folds and drags heavily on the ground behind him, limiting his movement. It also weighs him down when he flies, so peacocks tend to only fly for short distances and spend most of their time on the ground. In a worst-case scenario, a tiger or other predator might spot the peacock’s bright plumage and attack it, since peacocks are not very fast or agile. Peacocks are one of the tiger’s main prey sources.