Adult peacocks have bright plumage.
Peafowl is a term applied to two species of pheasant, the Indian peafowl and the green peafowl. Peafowl are best known for the bright, iridescent blue plumage and tail of the blue Indian peacock. However, peacocks don't develop their long tail feathers till they are 3 years old, which can make sexing juveniles difficult. Knowing the sex of your peafowl can help you predict behavior, make educated decisions about breeding and plan for the health and well-being of your bird.
Instructions
1. Look at the legs of hatchlings. By 2 or 3 months old, male hatchlings will have longer legs on average than females.
2. Check the bird's outer primary feathers. This is the spot where male color patterns typically show up first. Young male peacocks may have bright colors and check patterns on their feathers. Females will have solid-colored, drab feathers.
3. Check the bird's chest feathers as it approaches its first birthday. By this age, many males have copper-colored chest feathers, while females have brown and gray feathers.
4. Compare the size of juveniles. Males are typically a few inches taller than females. If you notice that the chicks from a clutch of eggs have a tall group and a short group, the tall group is likely male.
5. Take the bird to a veterinarian. A qualified avian vet can definitively sex your bird. By the time your bird is 3 years old, you will be able to easily differentiate males and females. Males have long, brightly colored tails that drag behind them like a train and females have drab gray or brown feathers. Both males and females normally develop hornlike feather tufts from the tops of their heads.
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