A covert feather or tectrix on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts (or tectrices), which cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail.
A covert feather or tectrix on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts (or tectrices), which cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail.
Peafowl is a common name for two bird species of the genus Pavo and one species of the closely related genus Afropavo within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae (the pheasants and their allies). Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens. Despite this, peacock is usually used to refer to both sexes, in common language.
The two Asiatic species are the blue or Indian peafowl originally from the Indian subcontinent, and the green peafowl from Southeast Asia. The third peafowl species, the Congo peafowl, is native only to the Congo Basin. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage. The latter is especially prominent in the Asiatic species, which have an eye-spotted "tail" or "train" of covert feathers, which they display as part of a courtship ritual.