Congo Peacock Afropavo congensis Scientific name definitions

Male 64–70 cm (tail 20·6–26 cm) (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), two birds 1361 and 1475 g; female 60–63 cm (tail 16·9–22·5 cm) (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), two birds 1135 and 1154 g. Unmistakable : small head on slender neck, somewhat rounded and moderately long tail; male mainly black below and shining green above with bronze reflections and violet tips to wing feathers (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). White bristles on crown of male sometimes very short, with shorter tuft of naked black bristles (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); variable extent of naked red skin on neck, with sparse black down (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Female usually has spurs; whitish in both sexes (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). First-year male duller, with dull black underparts, back tinged brown, lacks tarsal spurs and coronal tuft and bristles much shorter (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); adult plumage attained in second year. Juvenile is mottled cinnamon and black, although young male soon (within c. 7 weeks) acquires green feathers on mantle and wing-coverts (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

C & CE DRCongo.

Inhabits primary lowland rainforest below 1200 m, typical drier upland forest on ridges (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ), although old secondary forest is also utilised, at least for foraging (3 Mulotwa, M., Louette, M., Dudu, A., Upoki, A., and Fuller, R.A. (2010). Congo Peafowl use both primary and regenerating forest in Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Ostrich. 81(1): 1–6. Close ).

No information available, but sometimes suspected to be nomadic (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Believed to be omnivo­rous. Identified items include drupes of Celtis ituriensis and C. adolfi-friedericii (Cannabaceae) (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), common broadleaved trees; also aquatic insects (e.g. Orectopyrus spp.) (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), ants (e.g. Tallothryeus tarsatus) (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) and termites, either by pecking at ground or scratching in leaf litter (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Presence of termite larvae in gut contents suggests that birds may dig into termite mounds. Local people report the species visiting fruiting Musanga cecropioides (Urticaceae) and Margaritaria discoidea (Phyllanthaceae) trees (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ), and other seeds and fruits reported in diet include Sapium ellipticum (Euphorbiaceae), Ficus spp. (Moraceae), Strombosia grandifolia (Olacaceae), Xymalos monospora (Monimiaceae) and Caesalpinia decapetala (Fabaceae) (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Usually seen alone or in small family groups of up to six birds (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ), but has also been observed apparently consorting with a group of Francolinus lathami (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ).

Most common vocalizations are duets, which are often heard throughout the night (though perhaps most frequently at 19:00–22:00 hours) (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ) but usually only c. 3 nights per week, starting with a resounding “rro-ho-ho-o-a” that reaches a crescendo and is followed by a high-pitched “gowe” from the male and a lower “gowah” by the female, which sequence may be repeated as many as 20–30 times; alternative duet comprises “ko-ko-wa” by male and higher “hi-ho-hi-ho” by female (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Male makes snoring-like call in vicinity of nest (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Little reliable information from the wild, although it has been suggested that breeding may occur at any time, depending upon local rainfall conditions; 300 km S of equator, young birds found in Jan–Feb. Thought to be monogamous (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); male apparently remains close to nest during incubation period (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). In captivity often nests in trees, less than 1·5 m above the ground, laying eggs on concave platform rather than in true nest, but in wild suspected to nest between buttress roots (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and one nest found below fallen tree (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ). Clutch usually of 2–3 unspotted rufous-buff (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) or cream-coloured (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) eggs (up to six, size 56–63·3 mm × 43–46·9 mm, 67–71 g) (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) laid at 1–3-day intervals (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); incubation 25–28 days (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), by female only and commencing only when second or third egg laid (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ); chicks have black and blackish-brown down above, bright creamy yellow below, with cinnamon wings; initially roost in tree with female but then go to the ground, where brooded by male (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). In captivity, just 22% of eggs hatch (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Few other data on relative roles of sexes in parental care, but male has been seen accompanying three chicks (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ) and both adults apparently feed chicks, which at age six days can fly up to 5 m and are wholly independent at c. 1 month (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Female capable of breeding at c. 12 months old, male at c. 18 months (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

VULNERABLE. Protected by law in former Zaire since 1938. Population placed at fewer than 10,000 individuals and suspected to be declining External link . A very poorly known species, described in mid 1930s; very difficult to detect and rarely seen in the wild; unconfirmed sighting in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Kivu, in early 1980s, but fieldwork in 1993–1995 confirmed its presence in small numbers at 13 of 20 survey sites (each 50 × 50 km), extending the range NE to Ituri Forest, N of Lomako R and along Yekokora R, as well as further S between Lukenie and Sankuru R External link . Occurs at low density; during 2004–2005 a sighting rate of one individual every 9·03 km was made in Salonga National Park (3 Mulotwa, M., Louette, M., Dudu, A., Upoki, A., and Fuller, R.A. (2010). Congo Peafowl use both primary and regenerating forest in Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Ostrich. 81(1): 1–6. Close ). Threatened by logging and other pressures on forest resulting from expanding human population, e.g. small-scale mining operations (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ); known to have been snared for food (in traps set for small mammals and antelope) (2 Hart, J.A. and Upoki, A. (1997). Distribution and conservation status of Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis in eastern Zaire. Bird Conservation International. 7(4): 295–316. Close ) and this practice apparently still continues where species persists; believed to be absent from areas within 25 km of each village and road by late 1950s and mid 1960s. Occurs in Maiko (IUCN Cat. II; 10,886 km²), Kahuzi-Biega (IUCN Cat. II; 6689 km²) and Salonga National Parks (IUCN Cat. II; 17,141 km²); however, illegal poaching and encroachment affect at least the latter area (3 Mulotwa, M., Louette, M., Dudu, A., Upoki, A., and Fuller, R.A. (2010). Congo Peafowl use both primary and regenerating forest in Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Ostrich. 81(1): 1–6. Close ). Species is present and breeds in several collections , but successful pairing apparently difficult to achieve in captivity. An international studbook for species is managed by Antwerp Zoo, Belgium; in Dec 1991 it recorded 64 males, 30 females and three unsexed young.