Peacocks are majestic and beautiful birds. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to see one or two of these creatures walking around, you’ve probably been awestruck by their beauty.
Many people keep peacocks as pets because of their beauty and the fact that they’re not a common pet to have. If you’re thinking about getting a peacock or two for a pet, or maybe you already have some, the fact that they could fly away whenever is a concern.
Since you can’t keep them in a cage, how can you keep peacocks from flying away?
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How to Keep Peacocks From Flying Away
Even though you cannot keep peacocks in a cage, like you would a parrot, having an enclosure they can be kept in at night will help prevent them from flying away in the middle of the night.
But you don’t want to keep these majestic creatures in their pen for their entire lives, so how can you keep them on your land? When you first get a peacock, the pen is going to be very important.
You’ll want to keep them in this large enclosure until they feel comfortable with you and feel comfortable in their new home. Providing a safe and comfortable environment will encourage the peacocks to stay and not fly away.
When building a pen for your peacock or peacocks, you’ll want to ensure that the enclosure is at least eight feet in height and very wide. Making the pen at least eight feet tall will allow the birds to fan out their feathers if they choose to without feeling claustrophobic.
You will have to put some work into training your peacock not to fly away. Once they’re comfortable in their home, you’ll want to provide them some leeway when wandering around the yard.
Properly training your new pet will keep them from venturing off. Adopting a peacock that is about one year old will be easier to train than an older peacock and a baby. Many people clip their new pet’s wings to prevent them from flying away.
While this does seem cruel, they won’t necessarily know what they’re missing if done when they’re young enough.
Another way you can help keep your peacock grounded is by keeping predators away. If a predator is lurking around, as a defense mechanism, your peacock will fly away.
What Predators do Peacocks Have?
Peacocks are relatively large birds, but they’re not aggressive and have plenty of natural predators. Some predators that peacocks have are cats, raccoons, dogs, mongooses, and tigers.
If you’re living in a rural area of the United States or Europe, there’s a good chance you won’t have tigers roaming through your backyard, so these predators aren’t your biggest concerns.
Coyotes and foxes are some of the main predators you need to be concerned about when having peacocks on your property. One of the best ways to protect your peacocks from these predators is to build them a treehouse that they can use as protection.
Is It Legal to Own Peacocks in the United States?
You learn something new every day. And today, you’ll learn that owning a peacock as a pet is legal in all 50 of the United States. Keep in mind that owning a peacock is not a good idea if you live in an urban environment.
You’re going only to want to get one if you live in a rural area where you can provide the type of living environment they’ll love and thrive in.
Where Are Peacocks Native to?
Nowadays, you can find peacocks in plenty of countries around the world. But do you know where peacocks originated from? Blue Peacocks are native to Sri Lanka and India. Green peacocks are originally found in Myanmar, aka Burma and Java.
What Should You Feed Your Peacock
As with any pet, you’re going to want to feed them well to keep them happy and healthy. Peacocks will eat almost anything, so it’s important to know what to feed them that is good for them.
Since they’ll chow down on nearly anything, be sure to keep lids on any trash cans they can access because they will eat trash.
You’ll want to feed peacocks things that they would find in their natural environment. While they’re roaming around your yard, they may dine on bugs, but you can buy
Peacocks eat grains, vegetables, insects, berries, and reptiles like lizards. You can even provide them livestock feed if you so choose.
How Many Breeds of Peacock are There?
Unlike other birds on the planet, there are only three species of peacocks. There is:
- the Indian peacock which is also known as the blue peacock
- the Green peacock, and
- the lesser-known Congo Peacock that is native to Africa.
While there are only three official species of peacocks, there are some variations that exist in the world. The only way we have other types of peacocks besides the original three is through mutations and selective breeding.
A white peacock has been bred, but it’s not an albino. The white peacock is the product of leucism. Leucism is when the skin and feather pigments are dimmed. There are other colorful peacocks that boast colors like yellow, purple, black, and brown.
Anytime one of these colors appears, it’s a mutation from either the blue or green peacock.
Proper Names for Peacocks
You know how chickens are known as roosters if they’re male and hens if they’re female? This bird has special names for each gender and then as a collective. Surprisingly, only the males are known officially as peacocks, even though most people use this term to describe the entire breed.
Another fact about peacocks is that the males are the only ones who boast those gorgeous and large feathers we associate with this species. When speaking about peacocks in a gender-neutral sense, they’re referred to as peafowls.
Female peafowls are officially known as peahens. If you’re referring to a family of these birds, they’re known as a bevy. And sometimes, they’re even called a party of peafowl.
If you want to find out the differences between peacocks and peahens, read our What Is The Difference Between Peacocks and Peahens?