Newsletter / Blog
2012-04-20 How many endemic birds are found in the Congo DR?
The DRC has 13
endemic species in a total number of species of 1,139.
One of the
endemic species is the Congo Peafowl
Congo Peafowl
The Congo
Peafowl - Afropavo congensis – is endemic to the lowland forests of
the Congo River
Basin in Central part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It
occurs in many different forest types but is often associated with slopes
between watersheds with shallow soils supporting dry forest with an open understory.
The species appears to prefer high canopy and litter cover.
Description
Adult male’s feathers
are deep blue with a metallic green and violet tinge. It has bare red neck
skin, grey feet, and a black tail. Its head is adorned with vertical white
elongated hair-like feathers. The female is generally a chestnut brown bird
with a black abdomen, metallic green back, and a short chestnut brown crest.
Call
Most frequently
heard call a duet with 20-30 repetitions. Male gives high-pitched gowe,
female replies with low gowah. Duets usually proceeded by loud rro-ho-ho-o-a.
Food
It does not
appear to have a specialized diet which consists mainly of fruits and
invertebrates.
Breeding
The male has a beautiful
courtship display with his tail and wing feathers fanned out while he struts,
bows and offers food items to the female. The Female lays 1 to 4 eggs in a
scrape or hollow in the ground, and incubates for about 28 days. During this
time, the male stays close to guard the nest, and the female leaves only rarely
to feed. After the chicks hatch, both parents help rear them by brooding,
protecting and feeding them, although the well-developed young are soon able to
forage for themselves.
Conservation Status – Vulnerable
This species is
listed as Vulnerable because of a small population which is suspected to be in
decline, owing to ongoing hunting and habitat loss. Presently, habitat is being
lost to mining, subsistence agriculture and logging.
Birdwatching
Ask Aves
Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures to create a custom tour for you to see
these beautiful birds.
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