Spring Fever For Arcadia Peacocks: Los Angeles Arboretum

ARCADIA, CA — The peacocks at the Los Angeles Arboretum are stealing the show, even though it is still technically winter in early February. This handsome guy was caught on camera, showing off his full plumage to a few lovely ladies, one with a chick she was tending.

Peacocks rattle their feathers and show their plumes during courtship rituals, according to Dr. Roslyn Dakin and Dr. Suzanne Amador Kane who studied the fowl behavior at the Arboretum. There are well over two hundred peafowl at the Arboretum, at last count, according to the site. But where did they come from?

The Arcadia India blue species of peacock who make their homes across the Arcadia area of the San Gabriel Valley came along with Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin, who imported them to the area in 1879, according to the Arboretum.org website.

"A small portion of the old Ranchero is now the Arboretum where the Blue Indian Peafowl, also called blue peafowl, have thrived in this Southern California environment and are a naturalized species here," the site says. "Today, visitors to the Arboretum delight in watching the peafowl as they strut and groom ostentatiously preserving the image of the 14th century metaphor 'proud as a peacock'."

The male peacock's fan can be up to 7-feet wide, and the more vivid the patterns or "eyes" the better, according to studies. According to the site, the male will do his little dance to entice the peahen, but it is up to the hen who to choose her mate.

As for the raising of her chicks? she does that alone, after laying from three to eight eggs in her "clutch" nest and waiting about 30 days for them to hatch. They will follow her around, foraging for food and learning the ropes. Males will develop their colors and plumes at about 2-years-old, according to the Arboretum website. Then, they'll join in the dance.

As for our fine feathered friend? Things didn't go so well for this male peacock, this time, but we're rooting for you, buddy.

If you go to the Arboretum, be sure and drop over to the Peacock Cafe. There, you can observe their fan-tastic behavior and take pictures from the outdoor dining area.

If you like, join Project Noah to document wildlife in your area using your mobile phone, and help scientists with ongoing research.

Photo: Youtube screen shot.