The bird that is most well known for having a fan like tail is the male peafowl, also known as a peacock. The peacock’s tail feathers can spread out in a distinctive fan shape, making them easy to identify.
Many birds have unique tail shapes and feathering that helps distinguish them. Feather tails serve important purposes in birds, including flight, communication and attracting mates. Of all the feather tails in the avian world, the peafowl’s elaborate and colorful tail fan stands out.
The peafowl belongs to the Phasianidae family, which also includes pheasants, partridges and turkeys. There are three peafowl species – Indian peafowl, Green peafowl and Congo peafowl. The Indian peafowl is the most recognized and widespread species.
The male Indian peafowl, referred to as a peacock, is the one with the long tail coverts that form a distinctive fan. The female, called a peahen, has a shorter, drabber tail without the ornamental feathers. The peacock’s tail is also referred to as a train. This train only occurs in the males and is used to attract females during courtship displays.
Description of the Peacock Tail Fan
The peacock tail fan is made up of elongated uppertail covert feathers that can number between 150 to 200. These specialized feathers are marked by eyespots, giving them an ornamental appearance. The feathers emerge from the back and stand vertically to form the fan.
When spread open, the tail feathers create a semicircular fan that spans between 4 to 7 feet across. The fan is marked by an array of iridescent blues, greens and other hues. Ocelli, or eyespots, decorate many of the feathers in concentric circles of color. The eyespots likely developed over time through sexual selection as females chose mates with more elaborate plumage.
Only male peafowl grow these specialized tail covert feathers. They emerge after the peacock’s first year when the bird reaches sexual maturity. Each year after that, new feathers grow to replace old ones being shed. The peacock’s tail feathers take about five years to reach their full span.
Key Facts About the Peacock Tail Fan
- Formed from 150-200 uppertail covert feathers
- Feathers marked by iridescent colors and eyespots
- Fanned feathers can reach 4-7 feet tip to tip
- Occurs only in sexually mature males
- Takes 5 years to reach full mature span
Raising and Displaying the Tail
Peacocks have strong tail muscles that allow them to raise and spread their tail feathers into the fanned display. A layer of small muscles at the base of each tail feather enables individual control over positioning. Using these muscles, a peacock can orient his feathers into a perfect fan.
The peacock tail is not just for show – it also serves as an important tool for communication. Peacocks have an intricate courtship display focused entirely on their tail. Males will strut around with tail fanned, quivering feathers to catch the female’s attention. The rattling of the quills and shaking of the feathers creates a captivating sight and sound.
Both the extravagant shape and colors of the fanned tail signal the male’s fitness to females. After selecting a mate, the peahen will examine the quality of the tail as an indicator of the male’s health and vitality. The symmetry and density of eyespots also influence her mating choice.
How Peacocks Display Their Tail
- Use strong tail muscles to fan feathers
- Individual control over each feather
- Spread tail and quiver feathers during courtship
- Fanned tail signals health and fitness to females
- Eyespot pattern influences female selection
Purpose and Advantages of the Peacock Tail Fan
The peacock’s elaborate tail fan seems contrary to survival in the wild, as it reduces flight agility and requires lots of energy to grow and carry. So why did it become so exaggerated through evolution? The tail likely persists because the advantages it brings outweigh the disadvantages.
For peacocks, the tail fan serves multiple important purposes:
- Attracting mates – The tail is essential in courtship and mating displays that charm peahens.
- Signaling fitness – The quality of the tail signals the male’s health and vitality as a mate.
- Species recognition – The distinctive tail identifies the bird immediately as a peafowl.
- Scaring predators – When fanned, the tail makes the peacock appear suddenly large and intimidating.
Researchers believe the advantage of attracting more and better mates outweighed the disadvantages of reduced mobility over time. Females choosing more elaborate tails led to the evolution an ever more ornate and exaggerated display feature.
Other Birds With Fan Tails
While the peacock tail fan is arguably the most famous, other birds also have specialized tail feathers that can spread out in decorative displays. Here are a few examples:
Birds of Paradise
Like peafowl, male birds of paradise have evolved elaborate plumage to attract mates. Birds of paradise in the genera Ptiloris and Astrapia have tail feathers that can fan out into distinctive shapes when courting. The ribbon-tailed astrapia’s tail feathers extend into two long, ribbon-like streamers.
Lyrebird
Male lyrebirds have unique tail plumes that can spread into a single large fan. Unlike the peacock, the lyrebird holds its fanned tail feathers over its head during courtship displays rather than behind the body.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
While not a true full fan, the scissor-tailed flycatcher has elongated tail feathers that spread apart into a distinctive V-shape resembling an open pair of scissors.
Motmot
The racket-tailed motmot of Central America has sets of specialized tail feathers that can splay out into a unique tennis racket-like shape. While used in displays, the function of the racketed tail shape is not definitively known.
Conclusion
With its spectacular fan-like train of iridescent feathers, the male peafowl stands out for its unique and elaborate tail. The peacock tail evolved through sexual selection as an ornamental feature to attract mates and outcompete rivals. While flashy, the tail provides important advantages that have made it an enduring feature of peafowl evolution. The iconic fanned tail makes the peacock instantly recognizable and one of the most vivid examples of avian courtship displays.
