Comparison

Male vs Female Peacock

The two sexes look so different that the male is often mistaken for a separate species.

12 October 2026

Subject AMale Peacock

Iridescent blue-green, with a long train.

Brown and speckled, without a train.

Comparison of Male Peacock and Peahen
Point	Male Peacock	Peahen
Appearance	Iridescent blue and green plumage with a metallic sheen.	Brown and grey, dotted with pale speckles.
Plumage	Has a long ornamental train of more than a hundred eye-spotted feathers.	Has no train; the neck and breast are slightly iridescent.
Body size	Larger and heavier, at around 5 kg.	Smaller and lighter, at around 3 kg.
Behaviour	Calls loudly during the breeding season and displays by fanning the train.	Usually silent and does not display.
Role in reproduction	Displays to attract a mate; the train is grown before the breeding season.	Chooses the male, then nests and raises the chicks alone.

Appearance
Male Peacock
Iridescent blue and green plumage with a metallic sheen.
Peahen
Brown and grey, dotted with pale speckles.
Plumage
Male Peacock
Has a long ornamental train of more than a hundred eye-spotted feathers.
Peahen
Has no train; the neck and breast are slightly iridescent.
Body size
Male Peacock
Larger and heavier, at around 5 kg.
Peahen
Smaller and lighter, at around 3 kg.
Behaviour
Male Peacock
Calls loudly during the breeding season and displays by fanning the train.
Peahen
Usually silent and does not display.
Role in reproduction
Male Peacock
Displays to attract a mate; the train is grown before the breeding season.
Peahen
Chooses the male, then nests and raises the chicks alone.