Artistic Birds – Peafowls or Peacocks | Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus

Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) by Nikhil Devasar

Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? (Job 39:13)

Before we leave the Phasianidae Family, there is a bird that is very familiar to many that shows God’s Creative and Artistic Hand at work. We always enjoy watching them. The Peacock/Peafowl is also listed as a Bird of the Bible.

Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) at Cincinnati Zoo by Lee

Peafowl is a common name for three species of birds in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the Phasianidae family, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens.] The two Asiatic species are the blue or Indian peafowl originally of the Indian subcontinent, and the green peafowl of Southeast Asia; the one African species is the Congo peafowl, native only to the Congo Basin. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage. The latter is especially prominent in the Asiatic species, which have an eye-spotted “tail” or “train” of covert feathers, which they display as part of a courtship ritual.

Malayan Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron malacense) Feathers ©WikiC

“For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” (1 Kings 10:22 KJV)

Peacock at Magnolia Plantation by Dan

Peacock Feather by Lee

“For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” (2 Chronicles 9:21 KJV)