peahen

Everyday

A female peafowl. She is mostly brown and grey, without the huge colourful tail of the male peacock. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on animals and adaptation, the peahen's dull colours help her hide while sitting on her eggs; the male peacock shows off his bright tail to attract her. People often say "peacock" for both, but the female is a peahen. The babies are called peachicks.

Examples

• The peahen sat quietly on her eggs. tree →
• Peahens are brown, so they are hard to spot. tree →
• The peacock spread his tail to impress the peahen. tree →
• We saw a peahen and three peachicks at the zoo. tree →
• A peahen does not have a long, colourful tail. tree →
• The peahen called loudly to her chicks. tree →

Note

Countable: a peahen, peahens. Male: peacock; female: peahen; both together: peafowl; babies: peachicks. Myth: not all "peacocks" are male; that word is often used wrongly for both.