【趣谈英语】孔雀只有公的-Peacocks Are Always Male

The word “peacock” is commonly used to describe male and female birds. Technically speaking, only males are “peacocks”. A female is a “peahen”. The neutral term for these birds is “peafowl”. The male is the pheasant with the colourful train. He struts⁵ around with his beautiful plumage to attract females. This is where the expression “proud as a peacock” comes from. The peacock’s feathers appear different colours depending on the angle of the light. Have you ever seen a white peacock or peahen? White peafowl are missing a pigment. They are sometimes called albino peacocks. In the wild, peacocks are polygamous. They typically keep a harem of about 2-5 females. Wild peafowl like to gather in groups called “parties”. In captivity⁶, peacocks are often monogamous. They can be kept as pets, though the annoying sound they make during mating season is irritating to home dwellers⁷ and neighbours.