Photographing the natural beauty Southern California offers is such a joy. But besides its beaches, mountains, and deserts, it's also home to an amazing array of wildlife and plants. I'm very blessed to have peacocks/peafowl visiting my yard every day!

Some photographs are available on products in our CafePress and Zazzle shops. We've recently added jigsaw puzzles, which make great gifts.

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Baby peacocks in my yard

(Please see our constantly growing selection of peacock photography on merchandise at CafePress, and/or our collection of peacock pictures on Flickr.)




UPDATE 02/29/12: Yay! I've finally gotten around to adding some new photos...as long ago promised. Scroll down--they're below the original post.

What could be better than peacocks in your backyard? BABY peacocks in your backyard!

Spring is mating season for peacocks--and an adventure in patience for the humans in the area. As beautiful as peacocks are, their very loud vocalizations are not exactly music to the ears of humans. But when you live in an area where peacocks have become residents, it's just one of those things you accept as a trade-off for having these beautiful creatures around. (UPDATE: See our post with pics of squawking peacocks during mating season!)

Well, after mating season comes babies--and, good grief!, are they ever cute. I consider myself very lucky to have mother peahens who've become so used to me they're comfortable bringing their baby chicks around. (I was less than thrilled a few years ago when peacocks destroyed the beautiful, new flower bed in my front yard. Turns out they love various parts of various plants! They ate some of the foliage, dug up my gladiola bulbs--just for the fun of it, apparently, as they left the bulbs lying around the yard--ate seeds from some of the flowers, and tore up the soil. But, again, I accepted it as part of living with peacocks.) So after mating season's cacophony of screeching, honking, squawking sounds, along came sweet little chicks.

I've taken hundreds of pictures of the babies, documenting their growth and changing appearance over time. I haven't had a chance to put up any merchandise featuring the peacock chicks yet, but I will! In the meantime enjoy a few of my favorite photos; I'll add some later on that show the chicks as they get older. If you're looking for peacock photography on assorted merchandise, please visit our web site CaliforniaDreamsPhotography.com.


A mother peahen eating with her chicks.

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The next six photographs show a mother peahen brooding her six chicks. It was taken on a chilly morning and she was keeping them warm. Watch as one of the babies comes out from under mom, then all of them do as she stands up.

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs


This chick's crown is just starting to emerge from his head.

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PS I know that female peafowl are called peahens, and that peacocks are male peafowl. I've used "peacock" in a rather loose way here!

----------- end original post -------------

UPDATE 02/29/12: Added more photos.

Tender moments shared between two moms and their babies, one a younger chick and one a bit older.

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs


Mom...the umbrella!

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Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Those of you who--unlike me--eat animals, I'd kindly like to ask that you consider this FACT, assuming you're touched by the sweetness of these photos of mothers and babies interacting: Chickens, turkeys, ducks...and cows, pigs, and all other sentient beings, would also share moments like these with their parents/offspring, if not for the fact that they're separated at birth, confined to cruel, inhumane cages where they can't even stand up, and are then inhumanely slaughtered. Just because peacocks are "cute" doesn't mean they're any more capable of bonding with their mother/babies than other animals that are commonly thought of as food, or that they should have more right to do so.

A very young male chick already fanning his feathers.

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Young chicks from one family, including one in a water fountain

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Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs


Older chicks.

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Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs



Younger and older immature males, fanning their feathers as they attempt to impress some young females.

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Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs


An older, but still immature, male.

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Older, but still immature, female (left) and male (right)

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Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs

Peacock photography, baby peacocks, peacock chicks, peahen, peafowl, peacock images, peacock merchandise, peacock photographs


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11 comments:

  1. AWESOME! What a lucky person you are to be able to do this. Nature is such a wonder, isn't it? i marvel at it every single day. I feed wild ducks corn near me all winter. Sometimes there are 40 or so. they know me, and come waddling up or flying over head when they see me with my bucket. in looking at their feather patterns as much as they are the same....they are different..every one! MAHVELOUS, simply MAHVELOUS! and I don't know what select profile below means

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    1. Yes, I consider myself very blessed to live where these spectacular birds wander freely. I like your account of feeding the ducks and how they know you! :)

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  2. beautiful photos with fond memories of hanging out with you there xx (no oooo's for now) -- k

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  3. I would absolutely love peacocks in my garden - they wouldn't be happy though because it's so small...

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    1. You'd be surprised! I really don't think they'd care too much, as long as the humans on the property are nice. And especially if the humans have lots of sunflower seeds and peanuts on hand. :)

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  4. They are absolutely beautiful... you are so blessed to have such loveliness so close bye... Animal Nature can be so healing... I love Birds of all types we have bird feeders all over our yard. Take care of you precious Peacocks. ~Anabela.

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  5. They are Simply Beautiful, I just love the blue neck one... is that a male? You are so blessed to have such natural loveliness so close to you. Animal Nature can be so healing. Keep enjoying your most delightful Peacocks and take good care of all of you and them. Be Well, Laugh Much, and Love Always...

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  6. Yes, I *AM* blessed. I consciously think about that every day. The peafowl are so much fun! Their beauty, of course, is awesome, but they're FUN, too! They have very distinct personalities, and I'm always finding something to chuckle at, like now that it's mating season, and my favorite peacock CHASES other adult males off the property. :) I can't wait for the arrival of this year's chicks, which typically happens anywhere from mid-May to August. They're always so cute and adorable.

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  7. PS Yes, the ones with blue necks are males. They don't get their long, beautiful "eye" feathers until they're mature, usually around 3-4 years old. Until then, the blue neck tells that they're male.

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  8. SO awesome photo collection if you want to more pictures http://godimages.net/most-beautiful-peacock-images-and-colorful-hd-wallpaper/

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  9. I love peacock and their young ones

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