Justification This majestic species has a very rapidly declining and severely fragmented population, primarily owing to intense habitat conversion and high hunting levels. Population trends and further fragmentation are projected to continue, and hence it qualifies as Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Phasianidae

Species name author Linnaeus, 1766

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification Male 244 cm, female 100-110 cm. Beautiful, spangled green peafowl. Male has long, upright crest, largely brilliant glossy-green plumage with blackish scales and mostly blackish-brown wings (tinged green) with caramel-coloured primaries. Female, duller, lacks train and has blackish-brown upperparts and tail with pale buffish bars and vermiculations. Juvenile (both sexes) resembles female. Voice Male territorial call is far-carrying ki-wao (often repeated). Female gives loud aow-aa, with emphasis on first syllable. Hints Males call from roost trees in early morning and at dusk.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

10,000-19,999

decreasing

991,000 km²

No

Range & population Pavo muticus has a large ancestral range, across which it was once common and widespread. It has undergone a serious decline and the only sizeable remaining populations are found in dry forests in Cambodia^5,7, Myanmar¹¹ and west-central Vietnam¹. Outside of this region populations persist in west and north Thailand⁴, the southern portion of Laos, Annam in Vietnam, Yunnan in China and on Java, Indonesia. In India individuals are occasionally encountered in Manipur³, but it may be extinct elsewhere in north-east India and Bangladesh, and is extinct in Malaysia and peninsular Thailand. The population evidently declined dramatically during the 20th Century causing range contraction and local extinctions; currently pressures remain intense and very rapid ongoing declines are suspected based on rates of disturbance and habitat conversion across South East Asia. However, where protected areas are effectively managed, such as Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area, populations are increasing⁸. The development of an effective survey methodology and increased survey effort within its range has led to an increase in records, especially from Cambodia, Thailand⁹ and China, and hence the conservative population estimate of 5,000-10,000 individuals generated in 1995 has been revised to 10,000-20,000 individuals.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Historically it has been reported to occur in a wide variety of habitats, including a range of primary and secondary, tropical and subtropical, evergreen and deciduous forest-types, mixed coniferous forest, swamp forest, open woodland, forest edge, bamboo, grasslands, savannas, scrub and farmland edge, from sea-level to at least 2,100 m. Contemporary records are mostly limited to dry deciduous forests, with the highest densities occurring near undisturbed rivers and wetlands¹; access to water and human disturbance have a strong influence on the species's abundance and distribution^1,2. It has been hypothesized that the species favours open deciduous forest as it may allow large clutches to be laid to coincide with a seasonal flush of fallen fruit¹.

Threats Widespread hunting for meat and feathers, and collection of eggs and chicks, combined with habitat modification and human disturbance, has caused this species's catastrophic decline¹. Fragmentation has isolated many small populations, increasing their susceptibility to local extinction, but selective logging appears to have no adverse effects on peafowl distribution¹. Other threats may include trade in the male's spectacular train feathers. It is regarded as a crop-pest by farmers in China and Thailand⁴, and is consequently poisoned. The spread of human settlement presents the greatest threat; directly through hunting pressure and habitat loss but also indirectly by preventing access to otherwise suitable habitat.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II. It is known from many protected areas, including important populations in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Indonesia^2,4. These include: Huai Kha Kheng Wildlife Sanctuary (Thailand); Ujung Kulon and Baluran National Parks (Indonesia); Yok Don National Park (Vietnam); Lomphat, Phnom Prich and Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuaries, Chhep and Eastern Mondulkiri Protected Forests and Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area (Cambodia); and Xe Pian National Protected Area (Laos)¹. The core zone of Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area has recently been extended⁶ and increased education and patrolling is likely to improve the prospects for this important population, now known to number several hundred individuals. Extensive public awareness campaigns have been carried out in China and Laos. A captive breeding programme has been initiated in collaboration with the World Pheasant Association as a first step towards reintroducing birds into Penisular Malaysia. The Cambodian Galliformes Conservation Programme through the Forestry Administration and the World Pheasant Association have conducted status surveys at a number of sites within north-west Cambodia. A model was developed to predict peafowl distribution and abundance at the landscape scale based upon distance to and from water and villages¹.

Conservation measures proposed Continue research into its range, status, habitat requirements and interactions with people to inform management within protected areas. Clarify its status in India. Initiate additional conservation awareness campaigns in Myanmar and Cambodia, while continuing existing ones. Develop landscape-level management recommendations for key areas, including the establishment of new protected areas where appropriate. Promote strict enforcement of regulations relating to hunting and pesticide use within protected areas supporting populations in Indochina. Encourage a total ban on trade in live birds and train feathers in all range countries.

References BirdLife International (2001). Keane et al. (in press a). 1. Brickle (2002). 2. J. Eames in litt. (2004). 3. A. Choudhury in litt. (2004). 4. W. Meckvichai in litt. (2004). 5. Evans and Clements (2004). 6. T. Evans in litt. (2007). 7. S. Browne in litt. (2007) 8. T. Clements in litt. (2007). 9. Mekvichai et al. (in prep). 10. Brickle et al. (2008). 11. W. Duckworth in litt. (2008).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), Aidan Keane (World Pheasant Association)

Contributors Nicholas Brickle (Wildlife Conservation Society), Anwaruddin Choudhury (The Rhino Foundation), Will Duckworth (Wildlife Conservation Society), Jonathan C Eames (BirdLife International in Indochina), Tom Evans (Wildlife Conservation Society), Wina Meckvichai (Chulalongkorn University), Edward Pollard (Wildlife Conservation Society), Nguyen Tran Vy (Institute of Ecology, Resources & Environ. Studies)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Richard Fuller (Partridge, Quail & Francolin Specialist Group), Phil McGowan (World Pheasant Association)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Pavo muticus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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