Peacock

The peacock is a large and beautiful bird that can be seen in parks and zoos. It has something like a long tail, decorated with colourful "eyes" that shimmer with all the colours of the rainbow. But it's not really a tail, it's actually special feathers that the peacock uses to show off its beauty to other birds, especially the peacock-girls. And the peacock has another piece of jewellery - it has a crown on its head!

Imagine that the peacock, the most beautiful bird we all know, is actually a close relative of our common chicken. That's right!

It can be hard to imagine because peacocks look so brilliant and amazing with their bright colours and big feathers that look like a fan. And hens are usually white, brown or black and much more modest in appearance. But both peacocks and chickadees belong to a large family of birds called kouroobranchs. Their relatives are all birds that walk a lot and like to cluck, such as chickens, peacocks, turkeys, and pheasants. They are all different and each has their own characteristics.

Imagine a big family party where the hen is your average aunt and the peacock is that funny uncle who always dresses very brightly and likes to be the centre of attention. So, even though the peacock and the chicken look very different, they are still part of one big family! Interesting, isn't it?

Peacocks can fly like all birds, but they like to walk. Their legs are very strong and they can quickly make their way through thick bushes and grass, despite their long "tail".

In the wild, peacocks live in the big green forests of India and Sri Lanka. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, berries, and sometimes even insects, small reptiles and snails.

When it is time to have babies, peacocks form small groups of several peacock-girls and one peacock-boy. They make their nests on the ground, where the girl peacock lays her eggs and sits on them for about a month until the chicks hatch. When the chicks are old enough, the peacock mum takes them to places where food is plentiful. Like all birds, they take great care of their babies.