Appearance characteristics Green Peacock
The male bird has a cluster of crest feathers standing on its head, about 11 cm long. The middle part of the crown feathers is bright blue with emerald green edges; the front part is fish scale-like, bright blue-green, sometimes with light blue-purple luster. The back of the neck, upper back and chest are golden-bronze in color, and the base of the feathers is dark purple-blue with an emerald green narrow edge, which is often partially exposed, especially on the lower neck and chest. The lower back and waist are emerald green, with copper-brown sagittal feather trunk lines and dark brown tip edges; the primary flight feathers and primary coverts are cinnamon color, with dark brown tips; the secondary flight feathers are dark brown, with blue-green outer flaps; the inner side is green. The coverts are copper-brown, interspersed with brown beetle-like spots; the coverts on the rest of the wings are dark blue-green and shiny. There are as many as 100 to 150 covert feathers on the tail, and they are extended into a tail screen in a special shape, covering the tail. The feathers are separated, green-brown, with a coppery luster; there is an oval eye-shaped spot near the feather end, and the center of the spot has a dark purple Kidney-shaped or round spots, with a bright blue-green periphery; a broad brass-colored circle around it, and a dark brown and light yellow narrow edge; the outermost layer is light grape red, and the feather tips are copper-colored. The color is extremely bright, and the outer eye spots are not as bright as the center. The longest tail covert feathers are emerald green, with the same color rhombus-shaped barbules at the tips, and no eye spots; the outermost tail coverts are also emerald green, with sparse inner barbules and thicker outer barbules. There are many, and they are also separated, forming sickle-shaped pinnae at the feather ends, and there are no eye spots. The tail is short, hidden under the tail screen, and is dark brown. The abdomen and flanks are dark blue-green, and the perianal and undertail coverts are dark brown, soft and velvety.
The female bird is like the male bird, but has no tail screen and is far less brightly colored than the male bird. The back and waist are dark brown with a brassy or green luster. The upper tail coverts are short, not as long as the tail, the color is the same as the back, and has an emerald green luster. The tail is dark brown, slightly decorated with brown and white horizontal spots and feather tips. The chin and throat are white, with brown spots on both sides.
The iris is reddish-brown, the peak of the mouth is dark brown, the lower mouth is lighter, the tarsometatarsal corners are brown, the exposed areas around the eyes are light cobalt blue, and the exposed areas of the cheeks are bright cobalt yellow. The male bird has a long spur.
Size measurement: Body length up to 2300mm; bill peak 42~44mm, 38~41mm; wings 470~500mm, 425~435mm; tail 560~571mm, 395~430mm; tail screen 1550~ 1580mm; tarsometatarsus 160mm, 115~147mm.
(Note: male; female)
Habitat environment
Mainly inhabits tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and mixed forests below 2,000 meters above sea level. They especially like to move in sparse forest grasslands, riverbanks or edge jungles, as well as forest grasslands and open areas in the forest. They do not like overly dense tropical rainforests. Life habits
They often move in groups, mostly consisting of one male, several females and sub-adults. Sometimes they are seen alone or in pairs. Good at running, not good at flying. When walking, the steps are light and vigorous, and the walking posture is like nodding one step at a time. When trotting, it looks like running. Usually when escaping from enemies, it takes long strides and flees in dense forests. It rarely takes off, but can fly very quickly when gliding downward. They are active during the day, especially in the morning and afternoon. They often go up trees or rest in the shade of the forest at noon, and roost in trees at night. He is alert by nature, timid and afraid of people. He will look up from time to time during activities and watch for movement around him. When he sees someone, he will run away or fly far away with his wings. The sound is high and loud, like "ga~wo, ga~wo". Green Peacock
Migration: resident bird.
Foraging: Food habits are mixed, mainly eating Pyrus pashia, Rubus obcordatus fruits, young branches and leaves, buds, mushrooms, grass seeds, peas, rice and other plants and crops. They also eat grasshoppers, crickets, moths, termites, bugs, earthworms, lizards, frogs and other animal foods. They often form small groups of 5 to 10 while walking and looking for food, and the foraging activities are more frequent especially in the early morning and near evening. Distribution range
Native species distribution: Khmer, China, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.
Distribution map
In China, it is distributed in the Nujiang region in western Yunnan, Simao region in the southwest, Honghe region in the south and Chuxiong region in the central part.
Extinct areas: Bangladesh, India, Malaysia. Reproduction method
The breeding period is from March to June. Courtship behavior appears in mid-to-late February. At this time, the male bird's feathers are particularly bright, and he often chases around the female bird. He spreads the bright tail coverts like a fan and shakes them constantly, causing them to rub and collide with each other to make a "sand~sand~sand" sound. Male birds often fight over females. Usually nests on the ground in shrubs and grass. The nest is relatively simple. It usually uses a natural depression on the ground or a shallow pit dug by the parent bird itself, and is filled with weeds, dead branches, fallen leaves and feathers. Each clutch lays 4 to 8 eggs, usually 5 to 6 eggs, and one clutch is reproduced per year. The eggs are milky white, light brown or milky yellow, smooth without spots, and slightly shiny. The size of the eggs is measured at 72~78mm×51~55.5mm, and the weight is 110~138g. According to the measurement of 37 eggs raised in captivity, they were 70.6 (61~90) × 52.1 (43~36) mm and weighed 122.6 (115~140) g. Usually one egg is laid every other day. After all the eggs are laid, the incubation begins. The female bird is responsible for the incubation period. The incubation period is 27 to 30 days. Green Peacock
Green peacock is much weaker than blue peacock in terms of egg production and hatchability. The female blue peacock lays about 40 eggs a year, and the hatching rate under artificial conditions is about 80, while the female green peacock only lays about 20 eggs, and even under artificial incubation, one green clutch per year. Peacock eggs can only hatch 2 or 3 peacocks at most. Because of the high requirements for living environment, the hatched peacocks may not survive. Subspecies differentiation Green peacock (three subspecies) Serial number Chinese name Scientific name Namer and year 01 Green peacock Indian subspecies Pavo muticus spicifer Shaw & Nodder, 1804 02 Green peacock Yunnan subspecies Pavo muticus imperator Delacour, 1949 03 Green peacock named subspecies Pavo muticus muticus Linnaeus, 1758 Population Status Wild Population
China
Green peacocks are only found in western, central and southern Yunnan in China. Through surveys from 1991 to 1993, the number of green peacocks The areas with more cases include Ruili City, Longchuan County, Changning County, Yongde County, Xinping County, Pu'er City, Mojiang County, Jingdong County, Chuxiong City, Shuangbai County and Nanhua County in Yunnan Province. Areas with distribution records in the past but extinct or on the verge of extinction include Yingjiang County, Lushui County, Tengchong County, Mengzi County, and Hekou County. Zhonghe and Zhizuo in Yongren County are newly discovered distribution points. According to local people, green peacocks have also been found in Yezhi in Weixi County, Tuoding and Benzilan in Deqin County. Due to the destruction of their habitat, the green peacock population has formed a point-like isolated distribution of small family groups.
From 1991 to 1993, the "Survey on the Distribution Status of Green Peafowl in China" published by a number of ornithologists after three years of surveys recorded that before the 1960s, the Yunnan green peacock population in Yunnan There are also larger quantities. In 1995, the number of green peacocks in Yunnan Province was about 800 to 1,100.
In 1994, Luo Aidong, deputy director of the Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve Research Institute and leader of the wild green peacock research project, and others conducted a survey on the distribution of green peacocks in Jinghong, Mengla, and Menghai in southern Yunnan. , after 1990, the green peacocks in the above three areas have become extinct.
From 1995 to 1996, Yang Xiaojun, an ornithological expert from the Kunming Institute of Zoology, and others conducted another investigation on the distribution status of green peacocks in southeastern and northwest Yunnan. The green peacock has also become extinct.
In 2007, a new round of investigation on the living conditions of green peacocks in Yunnan was launched, and three new green peacock distribution areas were added: Baoshan, Nanjian and Lancang.
Among them, the chirping of green peacocks could still be heard in Baoshan before 2005. Some villagers once picked up the fallen tail feathers of green peacocks, and some villagers even collected the entire green peacock's feathers. In 2004, someone was able to pick up the tail feathers of a green peacock in Daqing Mountain (located in Qianhaizi Village, Dazhuang Town, Shuangbai County). However, in recent years (2010~2013), according to reports from local villagers, the chirping of green peacocks can no longer be heard; in the Nanjian area, they are only seen occasionally, and the number is unclear.
In 2014, the only areas where green peacocks were known to be distributed were extremely rare. If protection measures are not taken as soon as possible, Yunnan's wild green peacocks are likely to become extinct within 10 years.
Global
The global population is about 15,000~30,000, and the adult birds are about 10,000~19,999. This is a rough estimate and needs further refinement. Existential Threats
Peacocks are the largest pheasant birds, and their beautiful feathers make them easy prey. Although the green peacock is listed as a national first-level protected animal in China's Wildlife Protection Law and hunting is strictly prohibited, poaching is still an illegal activity that is difficult to control in remote mountainous areas with inconvenient transportation. In addition, the green peacock also has an English name - "Peafowl" (pea-eating chicken), which can also summarize one of its habits. Some green peacocks that live near farmland often go to the farmland in groups to forage, causing damage to crops. In order to protect their crops, farmers soak the seeds with pesticides before sowing. This practice often leads to the "annihilation" of the entire group of green peacocks. disaster".
The shrinking living environment of green peacocks is a major reason why it is difficult to find them. Farmers scattered their cattle and sheep in some mountain forests where green peacocks lived, and drove them back in the evening. During this period, they shouted loudly at the cattle and sheep. Cattle and sheep often got lost, and they had to search all over the mountains and fields. These behaviors caused great disturbance to the green peacock. Many cattle and sheep are scattered in the core area of ??the nature reserve, which has caused certain impact and damage to the living environment and food of the green peacock. In addition, due to overgrazing by cattle and sheep, there is a lack of understory vegetation in the habitat of green peacocks. Protection level
Listed in the "List of National Key Protected Wild Animals": a national first-level protected animal (effective on December 10, 1988).
Listed in "The IUCN Red List": Endangered Species (EN), 2013 assessment.
On May 22, 2017, the day of "International Biodiversity Day", the Environmental Protection Publicity and Education Center of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Environmental Protection issued a document stating that the green peacock was listed as a critically endangered species.