canberrabirds

RE: peacocks

To: "'Elizabeth Compston'" <>
Subject: RE: peacocks
From: "Geoffrey Dabb" <>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 10:45:20 +1000

What will happen to them, Elizabeth?  Well, first an update:  although the whole gang does not appear every day, last evening at pre-roosting time all 12 were present, so there have been no losses.  They usually range widely during the day, occasional distant honks signalling that they have been disturbed by a dog or an aggrieved gardener. (They like to eat flowers and seedlings.)

 

The single advanced male now has its seasonal train about 2/3 grown. The 2 apparent breeding-age females will quite likely produce more young this year.  If there is not a determined campaign to remove them, I suppose members of the expanding flock will colonise other areas.  As they fly well from an early age they could turn up some distance away. Apart from being a nuisance to the Canberra Gardener, the noise they make is unpleasant to some people.  As Delacour says, "Their voice unfortunately is not up to their plumage;  the harsh resounding Hé-on of the Peacock is a challenge and a love call, to which other unpleasant sounds are added”.

 

Delacour also says “It is popularly believed that Peafowls associate with Tigers and Leopards and it is true that they are often found in the same localities with these large cats, but the nature of the association is not clear”.  However, despite keeping an eye peeled while walking the dogs, I have not so far seen, in this neighbourhood, as much as an Ocelot, or even a Serval-cross.  I think the Peafowls keep them away.    

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Compston [
Sent: Sunday, 3 August 2008 7:49 PM
To: Dabb Geoffrey
Subject: peacocks

 

 

Come on, Geoffrey, what is going to happen to those peacocks?

 

Elizabeth

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