 PHOTO: JEAN HOWMAN |
PHOTO: JEAN HOWMAN |
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Green Peafowls are even more beautiful birds than the Blue. They are, however, a great deal rarer and in parts of their range in the Malay Peninsula are very scarce. Fortunately their distribution is a large one from Burma in the north to the island of Java in the south. Like their cousins, the Blue Peafowl, they live at lowish altitudes rarely ascending above 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 meters).
There are three subspecies, the Javanese P. m. muticus and the Indo-Chinese P. m. imperator, which are fairly similar, and the Burmese P. m. spicifer which is more drab in coloring. Although they are rarer in captivity than the Indian Blue, they are nevertheless well represented, particularly in zoological collections.
Much work has been done in the past few years in Thailand to try to save their last main habitat. In Indonesia, too, the World Pheasant Association has funded a pilot study and hopes to get a major and thorough study under way soon.
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| Avicultural Notes | |
| Minimum aviary size | 400 sq. ft. (37 m2) |
| Status in captivity | Fairly good with large numbers in collections in Thailand; some stock, particularly in Europe, may be crossed |
| Full adult plumage | Third year |
| Egg clutch size | 4 - 6 eggs |
| Incubation Period | 28 days |
| Feeding Habits | Normal pheasant diet plus peanuts, chopped fruit, seeds, mealworms, etc. | Special note | Not as hardy as the Indian or Blue Peafowl - a good shelter and some heat in winter are recommended |