Birds

What do peacocks eat and best foods to feed them

what do peacocks eat

What do peacocks eat?

The name peacock is a very familiar term for the gorgeous species of bird that is actually called Peafowl.  The various species of the peacocks or peafowl are very beautiful birds that belong to the  family of the Phasianidae.  The species of peacock are easily and also being mostly identified by their aesthetics.

The neck of this species of bird is usually a bright metallic blue, then the species of peafowls have very beautiful tail feathers that re so enormous and have eyes spotted all over them. More so, the various species of peacocks are well identified by their enormous tail feathers which they do not fail to show off by pointing their necks up high, and unfolding the tail while spreading the tail feather till almost all of the feathers are out and it is starting to look like a cape. Then it walks so well like it knows how beautiful it is.

Like in other birds, there are different breed or species of the peafowl.   There are actually about four species of the peacock bird that is known to man.

These four species of the peacock bird or the peafowl bird includes the following birds:

  1. The Indian peafowl
  2. The Congo peafowl
  3. The Green peafowl
  4. The white peafowl (it is white because it has albinism, however it is still very beautiful).

In this article, our aim is to share with you what the what peacocks eat. So if you have any breed or specie of the peacock, this is where we will show you what the peacocks feed on so that you get breed very healthy and beautiful peacocks.

What Do The Different Species of Peacocks Feed On?

What do peacocks eat? The question of what peacocks  feed on is question that does not require divinations for the answers to be seen. However, it is important to state what kind of bird the peacock is, that way it throws insight into what the various species of peacock birds feed on.

The various species of the peacock bird are species of omnivorous birds that actually feed on different types of foods as they are not pickers of food; that is to say that the various species of food will always have a great menu to pick from because do not have the problem of always having to choose food. It is not necessarily magical; it is just the fact that the various species of peacocks can make a meal from a variety of plants as well as a variety of animals (which also explains its omnivorous nature).

Some times the peacocks feed on their diets as though they are opportunists; this is so because the peacocks are very notorious for feeding on anything that they find anywhere at all. Regardless of what it is that they find, or where they find it, as long as it is something they can manipulate or kill, they do so and feed on it. This is also why the species of peacock have a variety of diet.

The various species of the peacocks are usually found foraging the environment for seeds, for plants, for flowers, for grasses, and even for grains. More so, the various species of the peacock birds or peafowls also feeds gladly on insects, on animals, as well as on vegetation. Notice that there are a lot of sources of proteins on their sources of food because the various species of the peacock birds have very high need of protein in their list of dietary requirements (dietary requirement given to them by nature).

The various species of peacock birds or peacock fowls love to eat so much that every food on their menu is their favorite food, especially if it is a food that they found by themselves on the ground, more like they love to feed on their game. The various species of the peacock birds spend most of their times during the day pacing on the ground.

More so, apart from being very beautiful and alluring, and apart from their great appetite for food, the various species of peacock birds have very beautiful eyesight as well as very sharp ability to hear. This sensory organs are put to good use during their hunting as they are able to pick on small reptiles, pick on small animals, pick on small fishs and pick on insects and they are prone to guarding their territory well.

It is important to know that the feeding and the diet of the different species of the peacock bird or peafowl is also affected by their environment; that is whether they are in the wild, or in captive, or better put domesticated.

While the species of the peacocks are in any of their native habitats, the different species of peacocks always feed on omnivorous diets which of course comprises of both the animals, the insects and the vegetation, which we have mentioned in one of the preceding paragraphs.

When they are raised in captivity, the different species of peacocks are usually fed the usual poultry feed, the commercial feeds that most poultry hobbyists or farmers use. More so, a variety of poultry farmers or poultry hobbyists who breed the various species of peafowl in their poultry or backyard often feed the varous species of peacocks with some grains like the oats, and the corns.

However, although it is okay to feed on the forages for optimum or maximum health of the various species of peacocks, it is also best to feed the different species of peacocks on natural diet, and not just on forages. So while feeding them on forage, as well as free ranges, it is also necessary to not forget to always bring the natural diet to their feeding party.

So now let us talk in details about what the various species of the beautiful peacocks feed on. Not that we have not mentioned them before, but there is need to talk about the individual meals in the groups of feeds available for the peacocks.

We have already made a list of what the various species of what peacocks eat so we will go straight to the details.

#1 what peacocks eat – The Species of Insects 

The various species of peacocks love to feed on a variety species of insects. It is very safe to say that the various species of insects are one of favorite foods of the various species of peacock.  Judging by how the species of the peacock birds or the peafowl feeds on the various species of insects just like the ants, the flying insects, the grubs, the bees, the wasps, the flies, and any other species of insects or bugs at all, any onlooker may just assume that the species of insects are the only things the various species of peacocks feed on.

#2 what peacocks eat – The Species of Amphibians and Reptiles

There are so many species of amphibians that the peacock just does not need to stress to feed on. The various species of the peacock bird or the peafowl love to feed on the various types of lizard, various species of frogs, a variety of the species of snails, and various types of slugs because they are very rich and very high in protein content which is good for the various species of the peacock birds and the peafowl.

#3what peacocks eat – Various types of Grain and vegetables

Apart from feeding on animals and insects, the various species of the peacock birds enjoy feeding on the other food sources like the different types of grains, and the different types of vegetables. Some of the vegetables and grain meals that the various species of the peacock birds or the peafowls like to on are the corns, the wheats, the beans, the peas, the tomatoes, the bell peppers, or even the fruits.

For those of them that are covered in flesh or in leaf backs, the different species of peacocks once they are ready to feed takes the whole covering apart so they can get into the main business of feeding on the seeds.

More so, if you decide to breed or to maintain a species or any species of the peacock birds at all, make sure to provide the beautiful and aesthetic bird with good food. When I say good food, I mean food that has a very high nutritional value so that your various species of peacock can grow healthy and looks very beautiful as it should be. It is also okay for you to opt for getting the various species of the peacock birds or the peafowl food from a good pet store.

#4 what peacocks eat – Berries and many kind of fruits

So apart from feeding on grains and vegetables, the various species of the peacock birds or the peafowl also enjoy feeding on fresh fresh fruits, as well as ripe fruits. If the species of peacocks were humans, I bet that there feeding pattern will probably win them a reality show.

Did you know that peacocks also like feed on the insects that fly around or pester around the fruits they are eating; it is like a calamine topping for them. They love practically all the types of fruits you can possibly think of. For instance, the black berries, the rasp berries, the blue berries and the grapes are the peacock birds favourite type of fruit they feed on other fruits too especially when there are some calamine toppings of insects on them.

# what peacocks eat – Pet food

While domesticated or while the various species of peacocks are in captivity, most breeders sometimes tend to feed their species of the peacock birds on diets that are  supplemental, or on some pet food or on even livestock feed. However, if you have to feed any of the various species of the peacocks, you can always opt for some of those grains that are concentrated because they are highly recommended for the healthy and for the wellbeing of the various species of peacock.

Please do not for any reason feed any of the different species of the peacocks with any of the pet foods that are made for the cats or the dogs because they are not healthy for any of the species of the peacock bird or the peafowl and for that reason, pet foods for pets like the dog and the cat are not recommended. T

he only way you can feed any of the various species of the peacock birds is only when you have them properly garnished with fresh fruits, dried fruits, fresh vegetables, dry vegetables and even grains. However, the quantity of any of those pet foods for the cats or the dogs should not be more than the quantity of any of the fruits and vegetables you will be supplementing them with.

What Do the Baby Peacocks Feed on?

It is important to know that the baby peacocks are also called the peachicks. More so, just like most children do, the species of the baby peacock birds will always like to follow after the healthy nutrition of their parents. So to be on the right track, the different species of the adult peacock birds will not hesitate to teach their beautiful peachicks how to hunt for food as well as how to equally forage for meals.

This simply means that the various species of baby peacocks or the peachicks feed on the exact same things the various species of the adult peacock birds speak on. Although sometimes, what the various species of the peachicks feed on can also be dependent on some other factors like the habitat, the behavior, the anatomy, and a few other factors.

For instance, if for any reason you happen or you decide to  separate the species of peafowl from from the adoring young chicks, there are still things you can feed the baby peacocks with; you can introduce the various species of peachicks with starter feed. The starter feed you get from pet shops should be highly un-medicated. In addition to that, ensure that the starter feed is rich in protein. It should have about thirty percent of protein.

Then when the various species of peachicks are about six weeks old, the percentage of protein added in the starter feeds can be reduced to by maybe ten percent or eleven percent do that about twenty percent or nineteen percent protein is added. Finally, when the various species of peachicks grow like the various species of peacocks or the peafowls, or better put when the adorable peachicks become peacocks, do well to feed them all that the peacocks feed on.

Behaviour of the various species of peacock

We already know that the various species of peacocks are very beautiful and that their best centres of attraction is their alluring shiny feathers. The various species of peacock will mostly be found inhabiting a forest more especially an open tropical seasonal forest with enough trees for good roosting.

More so, the species of peacocks usually prefer to settle near a water sources that never runs out of water regardless of the seasons and times, just like the rivers. However, some of the species of the peacock bird can also be kept as domestic birds or  they  can be raised as exotic pets, especially some of those species in capitvity or those in the zoo.

We have established all that concerns the feeding of the various species of peacock, but it really cannot be said enough because the beauty and the survival of the various species of peacocks rests on the food, and you can tell by now that this aesthetic birds are food lovers.

So for the purposes of emphasis, I will repeat here that the various species of the peacocks in the wild, and the various species of peacocks that are domesticated have very minute or slight differences in feeding, and these slight difference are basically as a result of either the anatomy  or the habitat, or even the anatomy and the habitat.

For example, the various species of peacocks in the forests or in the wild are more likely to settle in habitats where there enough sources of water, sources of good trees for tree roosting. They will also be found perching on tree branches. Perhaps they know they are beautiful so they spend most time of the day feeding, walking, and even resting.

Do Peacocks Eat Snakes?

People always ask if peacock birds feed on snakes, I have shared it before, but for the sake of emphasis I will share it again. Various species of the peacock birds feed on snakes especially when the peacocks are in the wild. For instance, in India, the peacock is called Mayura which translates ‘the killer of snakes’.

Whatever it is you have chosen to give your peacock birds, please do not forget to always provide this species of peacocks with water that is very clean and also very fresh. Water is very essential to peacocks and drinking water is very important to the various species of peacocks, especially after they have fed, and before they start roosting on the branches of trees.