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Nature Andalusia

Peacocks compete for a mate by Today, the Andalusia Farmhouse King of dramatically fanning their , Museum owns a pair of making loud cries, and putting on a fondly named Astor and Mrs. for the peahens. By Shortly after two characters in surviving in groups, peafowl cover O'Connor's “The Displaced Person.” large parcels of land needed for While the museum cannot host a A C L O S E R L O O K A T feeding. The peafowl's diet consists harem of birds such as Flannery P E A F O W L & F L A N N E R Y of seeds, nuts, small , and maintained, they O ' C O N N O R insects. proudly care for a coupled peacock and peahen in memorandum for one of Flannery’s greatest passions.

Predators of this include foxes, raccoons, and mongoose, who raid the peafowl ground nests. However, adult peafowl are not the targets; their eggs and chicks are. Species Historical Flannery's Flock

Though the term "peacock" is Highlights Flannery O'Connor dedicated her commonly associated with both life to her two passions: her birds Throughout history, peafowl have sexes, the correct term for these and her writing. Even with, “a pen been symbolic motifs, spanning birds is peafowl. of and a pen of quail, a cultures and religions from Hindu flock of turkeys, seventeen geese, to Greek and Roman to Medieval Congo > a tribe of mallard ducks, three Christian . Japanese silky bantams, two polish crusted ones, and several ,” Flannery believed her collection to be lacking.* She eventually ordered a few peafowl, until her flock grew to upwards of ^Indian 40 heads.

^Green Domesticated peafowl were found Peafowl belong to the same across Europe in the 14th century, scientific family as pheasants, but were mainly the property of . There are three main the royals and wealthy class, used species: the , the as decorative pieces to have , and the Congo wandering opulent palace ground. Peafowl. The Indian Peafowl, with Today the peafowl can be found its token and plumage, on many farms, zoos, and grounds is the most famous. across the world. *Flannery O’Connor, “Living with a Peacock.” Holiday Magazine. https://holidaymag.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/living-with-a-peacock-by-flannery-oconnor- september-1961/