Species
Indian (Blue) Peafowl - Pavo cristatus
Green Peafowl - Pavo muticus
There are but two naturally occuring peafowl species, the Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus from India, often called Blue peafowl, and the Green peafowl Pavo muticus which lives farther east in Burma, Thailand, Indo China, Malaya and Java however, it is curiously absent from Sumatra and Borneo. The latter peafowl (Pavo muticus) has three subspecies:
Spicifer - found in Western Burma, a duller, bluer species
Imperator - found in Eastern Burma, Thailand and Indo China, much brighter with greener shades.
Muticus - found in Java, which is the slightly most brilliant then the Imperator.
Peacocks has long been popular outside of their native countries of Southern Asia and Malaysia. The Indian Peafowl is probably the oldest known ornamental bird where people from China were the first people to import and domesticate these beautiful creatures. It was first introduced into the Mesopotamian cultures more than 4,000 years ago. Later, more than three thousand years ago, Phoenicians brought the peacock to Egypt and later they were brought into the Mediterranean area. Historical records also indicate that Solomon kept several peafowl and pheasants species, with the India Blue male being his favorite peacock. Unfortuately, peafowl were also considered a delicacy in these cultures for centuries.