Peacocks in Full Mating Plumage

If you stop by the vineyard this weekend the chances are pretty good that you will see one or two of our 18 free ranging peacocks strutting their stuff to impress anyone who will take the time to notice.  Of course they are trying to catch the eye of one of the many peahens that are shopping around for an eligible mate.  The tails of the males are at their peak of color and vitality for about 6- 8 more weeks until all the girls take to their nests.  Then the peacocks begin to molt their feathers and become very self-conscious of the fact that their once beatiful tails are no longer there.  The hens use the tails of the males to help choose which male is the strongest and healthiest. 

 I once had the opportunity to remove one of the tales from an old male that had died of old age during the mating season.  I was amazed at how heavy the tail was and even dried out it weighed 15 pounds.  The males strut and fan their beautiful feathers as the hens act like they could care less.  Charles Darwin was amazed by the excessive nature of the peacocks tail and it is not until recent studies have shown that the length of the tail and number of eye feathers are the measure by which hens choose their mates.  So at least between peacocks and peahens size does matter.