If you are thinking of keeping these beautiful birds for the first time, you would have asked yourself if they can be dangerous. So, are peacocks aggressive?
Yes, peacocks can be aggressive and dangerous. In addition to their sharp beaks and claws, they are large birds that can grow to a height of about five feet.
Peacocks are widely known for being beautiful creatures. Most people treasure these birds and even consider keeping them as pets.
Because of this, they feel confident and strong enough to attack anything, be humans or other animals that get close.
However, they are not naturally aggressive like some other birds. They mostly become dangerous when they feel challenged or irritated.
How Dangerous Are Peacocks?
Unlike most other birds, peafowls do not attack people without any reason. They mostly attack when they feel challenged or annoyed. Whenever they attack, they can cause a lot of harm to people and even other animals.
Peacocks are not social and affectionate and will hardly get along with other birds. They rarely develop a bond or relate well with human beings. In fact, peacocks do not eat from the hands of their keepers.
Tamed Peacocks Are Less Aggressive
It is important to tame your peacocks in order to make sure that your kids are safe around them. However, taming them may not be an easy task. It requires a lot of professionalism, time, and patience.
A tamed peacock is usually less aggressive and is safe to go near. Children can play near tamed peacocks as they can tolerate them. Although it is a difficult task, it is worth the time and patience.
Peacock Attacks Are Quite Common
Peacocks can be very threatening to human beings. It is usually hard for the two to co-exist peacocks. Many unfortunate incidents have happened to several people involving peafowls attacking humans.
As stated earlier, peacocks will strike humans with their beaks if they see them as a potential threat. When they see danger, they will bite in order to get themselves out of the situation. You can also spot them spreading their feathers with anger. They will also scratch and jump to cause damage to humans.
If you have kids, you should ensure that they do not play near your peacocks, especially during the mating season. Many incidents involving peacocks attacking kids have been reported leaving them injured.
Besides, peacocks have been featured in several news stories about zoo trips that went wrong. It is always good to watch them from a distance and love them from far.
Why Are Peacocks Aggressive
These pretty birds are not naturally aggressive and will need a reason in order to attack someone. Here are some of the reasons why they can get aggressive.
Peacocks Are Territorial
Like most birds and other animals, peafowls take pride in their space. They do not like it when human beings get too close to them.
They tend to protect their territory both against humans as well as other animals. A peacock will interpret any invasion of its space as an attack. Therefore, they will see it necessary to defend it.
When feeding peacocks, it is always advisable to do it slowly and even avoid making any sudden moves. They can get spooked quickly, which can lead to an immediate attack.
You should always move away whenever you find yourself in their environment, and you think they are aggressive.
Peacocks Are Protective
The main reason why peacocks are very territorial is that they do not like it when other animals and people get too close to their nests. Unlike most other birds, peacocks do not lay many eggs in their lifetime.
They produce one or two eggs up to the age of five years. From there henceforth, the number of eggs can increase to about five.
Because of this, peacocks are usually overprotective of their nesting areas. It is always advisable to avoid going close or playing near their nests.
Both peahens and peacocks can attack you anytime they feel threatened by your presence. A peahen will most of the time be around her nest so that people and predators find it hard to access their eggs.
It is Mating Season
Peacocks are usually more aggressive than usual during their mating season. Therefore, you will have to remember this when raising your pretty birds. During this time, their hormones are usually high. They also become more irritable and do not like being disturbed.
Although both the female and male peafowls are can be very dangerous during their mating season, you will have to be more conscious of the male. They are more aggressive than the peahens and will more likely attack anyone they think is trying to impress their female counterparts.
Peacocks Are Not Friendly Birds
Although peacocks appear to be beautiful birds, they are not friendly to many. Some people try plucking their beautiful feathers, which make them feel threatened.
They can interpret it as an attack whenever someone gets close to them and tries to touch them. Therefore, it is natural that they may be unfriendly in such incidents and even try to defend themselves.
You should always keep children away from peacocks anytime you visit a zoo. They have been known to attack kids because of their small size. You should be aware of their body language and position so that they do not make a sudden attack.
How To Calm An Aggressive Peacock
Peacocks can sometimes become very intolerable. Even their beauty may seem to make no significant difference, and you might feel like giving up on them.
If your birds get aggressive during the mating season, you should not have many worries. However, if their aggressiveness has become habitual, you will have to look for some triggers.
- Keep your peacocks in the open with enough space to roam around. They like to take a stroll around the yard. You can cover their pen with netting if you fear that they can run away.
- Ensure that they feel safe all the time. You can achieve this by ensuring that no predators or intruders get into their living space. Peacocks act aggressively and irrationally whenever they see a potential threat approaching.
- Supply your peacocks with plenty of fresh water and feed them mixed grains from time to time. Just like other birds, peacocks will be calm when given plenty of food.
- Another reason why your peacock is angry could be a health issue or even a hidden injury. You should take your bird to a vet whenever you notice it.
Conclusion
Although peacocks are beautiful birds, they can also be dangerous creatures. They are usually protective of their environment and may feel threatened whenever someone approaches them.
Therefore, you should ensure that you stay away from them. They can attack small children and even injure them because of their size. Also, remember to keep your other pets away from them.
