Analogies

We have a tendency to think of Peafowl as nothing more than a bird where the males advertise themselves to attract females. Much is focused on the breeding behaviours and less so on ecology and other kinds of behaviour. I think many of the conceptions we have about Peafowl displays are wrong. I will address this a bit later, but first it is important to understand the niche of the Green Peafowl. We must focus on other long-legged birds around the world to gain a better understanding of peafowl.

Secretarybird

Photo by Yoky from Wikipedia

The Secretarybird is found in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a nomadic species and can be found in different elevations ranging from the coastal plains to the highlands. Its preferred habitat consists of grasslands or savannah. Secretarybirds spend much of the day on the ground but roost on Acacia trees. The Secretarybird is monogamous and associates in pairs.

Compared to Green Peafowl and other birds in this post, Secretarybirds are strictly carnivorous. Famous for snake hunting, it discovers prey by stomping on vegetation. They either stomp on their prey or they can chase them and strike them with their bill. Their diet also consists of insects and vertebrates of various sizes.

Seriema

Red-Legged Seriema at the National Zoo, photograph by Frank Lin

The Red-Legged Seriema is a South American counterpart to the Secretarybird. They are unrelated but share similar traits due to convergent evolution. They too feed on snakes and other small animals, but also occasionally on plants. When they take reptiles they beat their prey onto the ground, or throw it at a hard surface. They will also rip larger prey into pieces with their claws. The Seriema prefer to walk instead of flying because their wings are short.

Like Secretarybirds and some Green Peafowl, the Seriema prefers a grassland habitat. Its distinctive call can carry for kilometers. It likes meadows near rivers but tries to avoid wetlands and crop fields. (Green Peafowl, on the other hand, are sometimes considered a crop pest and unfortunately some farmers will poison them)

Blue Crane

Blue Crane at the National Zoo, photograph by Frank Lin

An elegant species, the Blue Crane is the national bird of South Africa, and there is a lot more than meets the eye.  Unlike some cranes, Blue Cranes rarely feed by wetlands and are a more grassland species. Blue Cranes mostly on grasses and sedges, as well as insects. They may also occasionally take on small vertebrates. Blue Cranes are somewhat social, less so during the breeding season. They have a strict hierarchy with dominant males at the top. Cranes of all ages engage in dancing, not just for courtship.