Peacocks make several unique and exciting sounds. One of them sounds like a honk. You may have been asking yourself as to why peacocks honk. What does it mean when a peacock honks?
If you have been wondering the meaning behind honking, then you are at the right place. In this article, we will explain to you why peacocks honk and make noises. We will also discuss the various types of noise made by peacocks. Keep reading to learn more.
What Does a Peacock Honk Sound Look Like?
Just as the name suggests, a peacock’s honk typically sounds like a honk. It is very different from the sound produced by a regular backyard chicken. Therefore, you can easily notice a peacock’s sound if you are keeping different types of birds on your farm.
What Does a Peacock’s Honk Mean?
The normal peacock honk is more of a bird noise that is crossed with a baby crying out. Peacocks use these sounds for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include;
- To call a mate
- To make their presence known by others
- Warn off predators
- Ward off other peacocks
In most cases, peacocks honk in order to attract a mate. If you have ever been closer to them, you would have noticed that peacocks honk directly at the peahens.
They usually combine it with a little shuffle in the direction of the peahens. This is the main reason why it could be difficult to hear a peacock honk in person.
What Sounds And Noises Do Peacocks Make?
Generally, peacocks are noisy birds. Like most animals, they normally make different sounds or noises depending on the existing circumstance and how they want to communicate with the others in the flock.
Here are some of the most common sounds made by peacocks:
Screaming
Most people describe the normal call of a peacock as a scream, and it is one of the funniest and amazing sounding calls by birds. They use the call for all kinds of reasons which will be discussed later.
Honking
A honk is a common sound made by peacocks and is the one that we are discussing in this article.
Train Rattle
The train rattle sound is made by peacocks whenever they vibrate their tail feathers. According to scientists, it causes vibration in the air that human beings can not notice, but peahens can. It is part of a mating call among peacocks. Combined with the tail display, the most impressive peacock is the one that gets the mate.
Why Do Peacocks Make Noise At Night?
As stated earlier, there are two main reasons why peacocks honk or scream. They will do it during the mating season or if there is danger approaching the area. Let us go through these reasons for a better understanding.
There is Danger In the Area
The response to danger among peacocks usually depends on the species. Some peacock species may not be comfortable being around people, while some may not be bothered by the presence of human beings.
For instance, the green peacocks and the Congo peacocks are more bothered when people around the area. On the other hand, the Indian blue peafowls are much social and will not be bothered when around humans.
Peacocks normally have a head that is always moving and vigilant about their surroundings. This is an indication that they are always ready and prepared for any danger or predators that may come.
They have different ways to protect themselves from their predators any time they attack them. The Indian blue peafowls tend to sleep high up on top of trees in order to avoid any attacks from their natural predators.
On the other hand, the green peafowls tend to roost at lower heights since they feel safe at that height.
Alarm Calls During Threat
Peahens and peacocks will issue alarms whenever they are disturbed or agitated by their predators. They will sound different, and their noise will increase depending on the disturbance or danger coming their way.
Depending on the agitation, the sounds can be heard both on the low-pitch and loud pitch. If they are agitated in the day while eating, they tend to make a low-level alarm call. Usually, they will check their surroundings to find out if there is any threat.
Once they find one, they will produce a clucking sound similar to that made by chickens. If there is no threat, they will go on eating their food.
Peacocks produce a soft, hissing sound that may not be audible to humans. They will also make alarm calls whenever there is a territorial dispute. This can only be heard from male peafowls and not their female counterparts.
Finding Mates
Peacocks usually find their mates through the use of alarm calls. Some people may refer to these alarm calls as honks or screams. Mature male peafowls will produce different levels of alarm calls or honk associated with reproduction.
They follow the lek system during the mating season. This involves the peacocks gathering together to court a peahen. You will hear specific alarm calls from your peacocks during the mating season.
Typically, it is a loud hoot vocalization in which the peacock emits when it performs a hoot-dash display as it moves towards the peahen.
It comes with different numbers of notes as well as different pitches. In most cases, a peacock that has more than five pitches is the one that will get paired by the peahens easily.
At What Time of the Year Do Peacocks Mate?
The mating season for peafowls starts around February and ends in late July. In some places, mating starts in February while it starts in March. If you are raising peacocks for the first time, you should ask your seller about it to know when they start to get noisy.
Are Female Peafowls Loud?
Both the female and male peafowls make noise. It can be challenging to say which one among the two is noisier than the other. Therefore, the answer to the question is yes; peahens are loud. Their noise levels tend to escalate during the mating season.
How To Stop Your Peacock From Making Noise?
Unless you put it in surgery, it is not possible to keep your peacock quiet. Surgery can be very dangerous as it can expose your bird to various infections that can eventually lead to death.
Therefore, the only way to keep your peacock silent all the time is through surgery. If you are not interested in surgery, the good news is that you can try to minimize their noise in various ways.
Here are some ways through which you can minimize the noise of your peacocks.
Keeping them in an Isolated Area
If you are buying peacocks, you must first consider your space. The space must be large enough for your birds to roam around.
A wide area will enable you to isolate them so that you hardly hear their noise. If you have been thinking of an excellent solution to reduce their noise, this is one of the best options.
Radio in the Shelter
Peacocks will mostly get too noisy any time they sense a predator. Therefore, you can fix this by placing a radio in their shelter so that predators do not come near them.
They will not be disturbed by the radio, and since the predators will not come near, your peacocks will be silent most of the time.
Insulation soundproofing
Once you install the soundproofing insulation, it will help to reduce noise from the shelter of your peacocks. This is very helpful especial during the mating seasons when peacocks make noise all the time, especially at night.
However, it would be best always to remember that minimizing the sound you hear from your peacocks is good rather than doing away with it altogether. Hearing the noise will give you cues if predators are attacking your birds.
Conclusion
Generally, peacocks are noisy birds, and it is very natural for them to make noise because it is their genetic makeup. There are several reasons why peacocks honk. It is a mating call as well as a noise they create whenever they feel threatened by their predators.
