Peacock re-directs here; for alternate uses see Peacock (disambiguation).
? Peafowl An Indian Peacock displaying. Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae Genus: Pavo, Afropavo Species Pavo cristatus Pavo muticus Afropavo congolensis
The peafowl consist of three species of bird in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are most notable for the male's extravagant tail, a result of sexual selection, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen. In common English usage, however, "peacock" is used to mean either gender of peafowl.
The extant species are: Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus Congo Peafowl, Afropavo congolensis
The typical Asiatic peafowl belonging to the genus Pavo and include the familiar Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus and the much less well-known Dragonbirds or Green Peafowl Pavo muticus.
Some taxonomists believe that the endangered Green Peafowl is actually a complex of five distinct species although they are currently treated as one species with three subspecies. The Javanese Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus javanensis is an endemic found on the island of Java. The extinct Malay or Pahang Peafowl Pavo muticus muticus was earlier thought to be introduced by humans from Java, but fossils from the Pliocene epoch rules this out. Northern Yunnan is the home of one of the most distinctive form of Green Peafowl, The Yunnan Dragonbird Pavo muticus yunnanensis. The Arakan Dragonbird Pavo muticus spicifer was once native to Northern Western Myanmar, Southern Tibet and Assam. The Indo-Chinese or Siamese Dragonbird Pavo muticus imperator was once native to South East Myanmar and Thailand. The Annametic Dragonbird Pavo muticus annamensis inhabited the broadleaf evergreen forests of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Southern Yunnan China.