In the animal kingdom, sizes are important. Females tend to choose the males that are bigger in sizes as their bigger sizes represent healthier gene and therefore higher chance of survival for their offspring. Darwin’s theory of sexual selection states that nature’s extravagances are advantages in the mating game and also highlights the very nature of survival of the fittest in animal world.
Peacocks are the male members of the peafowl species, females are called peahens. Peahens are plainly-coloured unlike their male counterparts possessing large, colourful train of tail. During mating season, the peacocks will show off their long tail feathers and make loud mating calls in the presence of the peahens.
Peahens are noticed to have chosen the males for the quality of their trains by the criterion of “the quantity, size and distribution of the colourful eyespots”. If the peahen is interested in the peacock, she will then allow the peacock to mate with her. The peacocks however do not assist the peahens in hatching and raising the young. The peahens will lay her eggs and hide them in the forest, while she will smartly lay other decoy eggs in the open to distract predators. The peafowl eggs will take approximately 28 days to hatch and peachicks or the young are born fully feathered. These peachicks will be ready to fly within a week as this flying ability serves to ensure their very survival, as they get away from their predators.
Experiments have shown that offspring of males with more eyespots are bigger at birth and better at surviving in the wild than offspring of birds with fewer eyespots. Therefore is peahens’ tendency to choose the males based on the quality of their trains based on instinctive behaviour or is it a learned behaviour? Do they choose their mating partners based on their experiences and knowledge that offspring with “attractive” peacocks will have a better chance of surviving? Peacocks with big and colourful trains may eventually attract predators and these trains may prove to be a burden for the peacocks to get away. Will this new knowledge get to the peahens and make them “rethink” their choices since the “attractive” peacocks no longer survive?
“How do peacocks mate?” by Rose Kivi. eHow. URL: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4565678_peacocks-mate.html (assessed on 3 April 2010).
“Information on peacocks” by Erin Poulson. Pagewise, 2002.URL: http://www.essortment.com/all/informationonp_rjll.htm (assessed on 4 April 2010)
“Theory of Sexual Selection – The Human Mind and the Peacock’s Tale” by Caspar Hewett, 2003. URL: http://www.thegreatdebate.org.uk/sexualselection.html (assessed on 5 April 2010)
“Peacock Mating at the Cincinnati Zoo” by yellowduckyjes16. Youtube, 30 March 2008. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaQTlbk6phc&NR=1 (assessed on 6 April 2010)