Relationship between character traits and posture of green peafowl males

Today I had a conversation with my friend Friedrich Esser. We have come across an interesting topic, the relationship between posture and character traits for green peafowl males. The interesting thing was, we have independently made the same observations with our kept green males.

Adult males walking around and wearing the body in a more forward sloping position, which causes that the tail is carried higher than the back line are much more aggressive than other males which are having a horizontal line of the back during Walking.

This is somewhat difficult to describe and cannot even determine in a snapshot. Therefore it is necessary to observe the individual animal over a prolonged period to get a meaningful impression. Noticeable is definitely that you can already see this differences at 6-month-old young males. We recognized that the angle how the body is postured you can very often see a direct connection to the father.

My observations so far shows also that young males which are having a more horizontal posture are substantial unafraid compared to others. This is a basic requirement for individuals which will become later aggressive.

Based on these observations, we both were coming to the same conclusion, the main characteristics (aggressive or not) are bequeathed.

I hope my English was good enough and understandable to describe this interesting observation.

Have you been able to correlate this with breeding aggression?

Trefoil said:

Have you been able to correlate this with breeding aggression?

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No, this has nothing to do with breeding aggression against hens, this is just how hard a male is defending his territory against interloper. This means in our aviaries we are the interloper.

I knew I said that wrong. I didn't mean aggression against hens, I meant aggression to breed. Here, some birds (not necessarily greens) are so busy exhibiting that they don't show a lot of interest in breeding.

Pfauenfreund said:

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My observations so far shows also that young males which are having a more horizontal posture are substantial unafraid compared to others. This is a basic requirement for individuals which will become later aggressive.

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If I have read what you wrote correctly, I understood you to be saying the more vertical males were more aggressive, and the birds which walked more horizontally were less aggressive, but in this later paragraph, you mention that the more horizontal birds are less afraid and this contributes (is needed) for a male to become aggressive. So these two things seem to go in opposite directions, but maybe it got mixed up in translation, or I myself got mixed up, that's always likely too

I tend to agree with you that temperament seems to be inherited to some significant extent... I have observed it in a variety of creatures. It is very noticeable in dogs, so I have little trouble believing it can be inherited in birds. I do also notice as animals in general go farther down in a pecking order, they tend to lean more forward (flatter, more horizontal, crouching), and those who rise to the top of the pecking order lift up to become more upright (erect, vertical). So perhaps there could also be some component which is made stronger or more visible based on dynamics within the flock? Do you observe anything like that? I guess I am trying to say that perhaps a bird which is predisposed to be aggressive and to dominate his flock will establish himself in the pecking order and become more visibly dominant with a more erect body posture as time goes on? I think that body posture is used by animals and likely birds as well, to communicate relative dominance in a group environment. What do you think? Does this fit with what you have observed?

Garden Peas said:

If I have read what you wrote correctly, I understood you to be saying the more vertical males were more aggressive, and the birds which walked more horizontally were less aggressive, but in this later paragraph, you mention that the more horizontal birds are less afraid and this contributes (is needed) for a male to become aggressive. So these two things seem to go in opposite directions, but maybe it got mixed up in translation, or I myself got mixed up, that's always likely too

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No I didn’t mix up. We have to separate between adult and young males. Aggressive adult males walking with the neck down and the tail up. Non aggressive are having a more horizontal position.

Young green males are generally working more upright with the neck. Which is changing then step by step in the first three years. But if you have a young male which has already a more horizontal position you can see they are unafraid against others.

Thank you! That helps me visualize what you are talking about and it is much more clear to me now.
Yes, this seems to me to be an important observation which you have made, thank you for sharing this with us

Two males in the typical fighting position.
The picture I have taken in the jungle from wild green peacocks.
Between the two males is their territory border.

So when choosing a young green peacock (around 2 years old) if you look at the way they carry themselves, can that help you pick which males would not be aggressive to you if you bought them?

So that would mean that this Imperator peacock in the photo is aggressive because he is holding his train up high and not level to his back?
photo from http://thailand-naturfotos.de.tl/Galerie/kat-29.htm:

MinxFox said:

So when choosing a young green peacock (around 2 years old) if you look at the way they carry themselves, can that help you pick which males would not be aggressive to you if you bought them?

So that would mean that this Imperator peacock in the photo is aggressive because he is holding his train up high and not level to his back?

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Yes this is at least what I have observed. Males which are working in this position are very self-confident and lean to be aggressive. The potential that such a male will be aggressive to you are much higher compared to others.
Such males are very sensitive during the mating season. They are ready to fight for their territory all the time and this makes them very nervous. This is critical in the aviaries for the hens too, because not seldom they are attacking the hens to reduce the stress. The hens which are together with such males needing a big aviary and hiding-places.
But I have to mention, for me such males are the nicest and the most beautiful once to look at. They are working always pride and due to this the legs are looking unbelievable long. My experience with such males is, normally you can control it and live with it if you will follow up the following rules:

1. You have to have a strict procedure which you are following every day and this they learn to accept.
2. Never show them the back and be wakeful!
3. Don’t disturb them too often during the day. As less they see you as better it is for you and the hens, especially during mating season.