Green Peacock of Shuangbai County, Chuxiong

Overview

The Green Peafowl, which inhabits Shuangbai County in Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan, is the central theme of the city’s urban IP (intellectual property) development. The Green Peafowl is the only native species of peafowl in China, and as the home of the Green Peafowl, Shuangbai County has steadfastly adhered to the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” to protect this green spirit. Shuangbai County is home to extensive seasonal rainforests that shelter over 30% of the national Green Peafowl population. From just 56 individuals in 2015, their population grew to around 200 by 2021, making it the largest population of Green Peafowl in China. With improvements in the ecological environment, abundant food sources, and a complete food chain, a variety of wildlife have flourished.  The Green Peafowl has become the symbol of Shuangbai County’s harmonious development of its natural ecology and social economy.

Name

Shuangbai Green Peafowl (双柏绿孔雀)

Theme

A city IP created based on the Green Peafowl living in Shuangbai County, Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan.

Physical Characteristics

Unlike the commonly seen Blue Peafowl in zoos, the Green Peafowl is the largest pheasant species, with its chest and neck feathers primarily metallic green. The face is yellow, and its crown is tufted. Its neck feathers are scaly, and its wing coverts are blue-green without markings. Except for the tail screen, there is little sexual dimorphism between the male and female. Though it is called the “Green” Peafowl, its feathers can vary in color, including emerald green, turquoise, bronze, and golden yellow, depending on light and viewing angles.

Habitat

The Shuangbai Dinosaur River Provincial Nature Reserve is located on both sides of the Shiyang River in Ejia Town and Dudian Township, Shuangbai County. Approved by the Chuxiong Prefecture People’s Government in 2003, it is a small nature reserve that protects rare and endangered wildlife, such as the Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus), the Black-necked Long-tailed Pheasant (Symaticus humiae), and the White-bellied Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae), as well as rare plants like the Southern Yunnan Cycad (Cycas diannanensis) and the Pinus yunnanensis. The reserve is home to diverse wild plant resources and provides a foundation for the study of plant species in the convergence zones of the central Yunnan Plateau, southern Yunnan, and southwestern Yunnan. This promotes regional biodiversity conservation.

Location and Size

The reserve spans an area of 10,391 hectares, located at coordinates between 24°22′48.6″ to 24°34′6.4″N and 101°9′55.3″ to 101°24′43.9″E, in the western part of Shuangbai County. It is part of the northern segment of the Ailao Mountains and primarily lies in a dry river valley. The highest elevation is 1,796 meters, and the lowest is 623 meters, with a vertical difference of 1,173 meters. It features various climate zones, ranging from dry and arid river valleys below 1,400 meters to subtropical monsoon climates in low mountain areas and temperate monsoon climates in mountainous regions above 2,300 meters.

Behavior

The Green Peafowl roosts on large trees near cliffs at night. Around 6 a.m. (in summer), it descends to the ground to forage, first flapping its wings and preening its feathers before letting out a series of calls. It typically forages in small groups of 5 to 10 individuals. In the fall, large groups of 20 to 30 may be seen damaging crops. After feeding, they often head to streams to drink water and take dust baths on sandbanks.

Diet

The Green Peafowl is omnivorous, primarily feeding on plant materials such as tender leaves and flowers from the white plant, torch fruits, and legumes. It also eats insects from the grasshopper and beetle families, as well as seeds of pine cones when they mature. [9] [15] [18]

Distribution Range

The Green Peafowl currently only exists in central, southern, and western Yunnan Province, with its distribution shrinking to scattered patches. Historical records show that the Green Peafowl once had a broader range in Yunnan, but its population has drastically decreased in recent decades. In the 1990s, it was recorded in 34 counties (cities, districts) of Yunnan. By 2018, it was found in only 19 counties (cities, districts) of Yunnan, particularly concentrated in the river valleys of the Yuanjiang Basin in the upper reaches. In the past 30 years, 60% of its former distribution area in Yunnan has become extinct.

Reproduction

The mating season begins in mid-February, during which the male peafowls display their beautiful feathers by fanning out their tail feathers, shaking them, and producing a “sh-sh” sound to attract females. This often leads to fierce competition between males for female attention, and peacock feathers are commonly found on the ground after these confrontations.

The female performs the incubation, which takes 28 to 30 days. The newly hatched chicks are covered with light brown feathers and resemble ducklings. After a few days, they begin to grow their green feathers.

Population Status

As the Green Peafowl’s distribution shrinks, its wild population has been decreasing. In the 1990s, the population was estimated to be around 800 to 1,100 individuals. By 2014–2017, fewer than 500 individuals remained. In 2018, the wild population numbered approximately 485 to 547 individuals, with a significant concentration in the Shuangbai and Xiping counties. The region around the Shuangbai Dinosaur River Nature Reserve and the Yuanjiang River is home to over half of China’s remaining Green Peafowl population.

The Green Peafowl is listed as “Globally Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is a class I national protected species in China. The current population is estimated to be around 555 to 600 individuals, with approximately 300 living in Chuxiong Prefecture. The largest wild population of Green Peafowls resides in the Shuangbai Dinosaur River Provincial Nature Reserve, with 44 groups totaling 267 individuals.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Green Peafowl is one of the three types of peafowl in the world, alongside the Congo Peafowl and the Blue Peafowl. Of these, only the Green Peafowl has a native distribution in China.

In early Western history, the peafowl was seen with mixed feelings. Some viewed it as a symbol of elegance and wealth, while others saw it as a proud and arrogant bird. In Greek mythology, the peafowl was considered a sacred bird of Hera, the queen of the gods. In Roman mythology, the goddess Juno also adored peafowls. However, ancient Jews seemed to have a less favorable view of this bird, with Christian historian Percy St. John claiming that Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden due to the peafowl.

In Buddhist lore, the peafowl and the Great Roc (a mythical bird) are both considered the offspring of the “Phoenix,” the king of all birds, and the Buddha’s “Great Wisdom King Bodhisattva.” In 1963, the Indian government declared the peafowl as the national bird, elevating its status as a symbol of the nation and its people.

Chinese Overview

Archaeological discoveries suggest that wild peafowls lived in the Qinling Mountains of northern China over 5,000 years ago, but historical records indicate that peafowls were primarily found in southern China. During the Warring States period, peafowls appeared in Hunan and Hubei, and by the Han and Jin Dynasties, they were also present in the eastern Sichuan and Yunnan regions. As a result, peafowls were also known by names such as “Southern Guests” and “Yue Birds.”