Most people are aware that peacocks are birds, but never having seen a peacock fly or even flap their wings, it’s not that strange to wonder if peacocks have wings.
I can confirm that peacocks do, in fact, have wings. They’re also able to fly (a little), and do flap their wings when they’re flying.
Seeing a peacock fly is almost as impressive as seeing them spreading and shaking their beautiful tail feathers!
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Do Peacocks Have Wings or Feathers?
Peacocks have both wings and feathers. Peacocks are famous for having one of the most magnificent and beautiful tail displays, so it’s no surprise their wings are overlooked.
If you take a look at the side of a peacock, however, you can clearly see they have wings.
Peacocks have rounded wings, and their wing feathers are often a brown or beige color. Quite the contrast from the iridescent blue and green colors on their tail feathers!
When a peacock is displaying its tail feathers, you can’t even see its wings properly as they’re tucked behind its feathers.
But if you watch a peacock walking around with their train tailing behind them, you can clearly see their wings tucked into their sides.
Peacocks’ tail feathers are beautiful and have that iconic ‘eye’ pattern.
They’re often highly sought after for this reason, and there are even some spiritual and symbolic meanings to finding one of their feathers.
Peacocks shed their tail feathers each year, all 150-200 of them. So, while it’s believed to be good luck to find one, it’s not that difficult if you know where peacocks roam.
Related - Are peacocks able to swim?
Can Peacocks Fly?
Contrary to popular belief, peacocks can fly - they just can’t fly very far.
Peacocks are able to fly up into trees or onto higher ground for roosting or to escape predators.
They can also fly for around a mile if needed. But you’ll more commonly see a peacock traveling by foot, and it’s estimated they can easily cover 3-4 kilometers a day by foot.
All you have to do is look at a peacock to understand why they are not great at flying. They have long trains of tail feathers, long bodies, and large claws.
The same can be said about chickens. Chickens have been selectively bred over hundreds of years to be heavier so they can provide more meat, and as a result, they’ve become less adept at flying.
Most chickens roost in trees or on a roosting bar, too. They can cover a few feet and stay in the air for a few seconds, so they’re strictly not flightless birds either.
So, while peacocks and chickens can fly, you’re not going to see them soaring overhead any time soon!
How Far Can a Peacock Fly?
It’s believed that peafowl can fly about a mile without stopping for a break. That’s a decent distance, but this is nothing compared to most birds.
Interestingly, it’s believed that a peacock’s long, heavy tail feathers aren’t what prevents them from flying.
Peacocks with clipped tails or those that had shed a lot of their feathers still find it equally hard to fly.
The physical reason why peacocks are not great at flying is more to do with their whole body structure, wing thrust, and weight ratios.
In addition to this, peacocks are very adept at surviving on land. They don’t need to fly to find food, and they can fend off most predators without taking to the skies.
Related - Want to know if peacocks have spurs? You’ll want to read this post.
Can Peacocks Be Pets?
Peacocks can be kept as pets, yes. You’ll need to check the laws regarding keeping them where you live, of course, but many do keep peafowl as pets.
They’re not the easiest pets to raise. You need a lot of space to house peafowl, and they do have some specific nutritional and environmental requirements.
Explaining how to raise peafowl is a detailed topic, I advise you to look into how to raise peacocks in detail before making a decision.
Related - More on the laws and regulations for keeping peafowl in Florida and California.
How Many Wings Does a Peacock Have?
Like other birds, peacocks have two wings. As do peahens which are female peafowl.
In Summary
Hopefully, I’ve cleared up some misconceptions and confusion around whether or not peacocks have wings, and if they can fly.
Despite not always being easy to see, you can tell where a peacock’s wings are by the different color feathers on their sides.
Peacocks prefer being on the ground, and will typically only fly up into trees to keep safe from predators overnight.
They can, however, fly for about a mile and are perfectly capable of using their wings when need be!
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Image credits - Photo by Viktor Shimin on Unsplash
