When kindness has left people, even for a few moments, we become afraid of them as if their reason had left them. When it has left a place where we have always found it, it is like shipwreck; we drop from security into something malevolent and bottomless. ~Willa Cather

Technically, only peacocks are large, colorful pheasants (typically blue and green) known for their iridescent tails. These tail feathers, or coverts, spread out in a distinctive train that is more than 60 percent of the bird’s total body length and boast colorful “eye” markings of blue, gold, red, and other hues. The large train is used in mating rituals and courtship displays. It can be arched into a magnificent fan that reaches across the bird’s back and touches the ground on either side. Females are believed to choose their mates according to the size, color, and quality of these outrageous feather trains.

The term “peacock” is commonly used to refer to birds of both sexes. Technically, only males are peacocks. Females are peahens, and together, they are called peafowl.

Suitable males may gather harems of several females, each of which will lay three to five eggs. In fact, wild peafowl often roost in forest trees and gather in groups called parties.

Peacocks are ground-feeders that eat insects, plants, and small creatures. There are two familiar peacock species. The blue peacock lives in India and Sri Lanka, while the green peacock is found in Java and Myanmar (Burma). A more distinct and little-known species, the Congo peacock, inhabits African rain forests.

Peafowl such as the blue peacock have been admired by humans and kept as pets for thousands of years. Selective breeding has created some unusual color combinations, but wild birds are themselves bursting with vibrant hues. They can be testy and do not mix well with other domestic birds.

Fast Facts

Type: Bird
Diet: Omnivore
Average life span in the wild: 20 years
Size: Body, 35 to 50 in (90 to 130 cm); Tail, 5 ft (1.5 m)
Weight: 8.75 to 13 lbs (4 to 6 kg)
Group name: Party
Did you know? A male peafowl is one of the largest flying birds when the combined length of its train and its large wingspan are considered.
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man.

Source: National Geographic

The degree of self-clinging that we have is the measure of the harms we suffer. ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

Of all the flying insects, dragonflies just might be the most charming. They don’t sting or bite. They don’t carry diseases or germs. And they have bright colors and an amazing way of flying. Dragonflies live in most parts of the world, but they prefer to live near ponds or streams.

Dragonflies and their smaller cousins, damselflies, spend most of their life as larva, or baby dragonflies. They hatch from eggs under water and feed on water insects, tiny fish and even tadpoles. They can stay in the larval stage for up to two years, depending on the species. Then they leave the water and come ashore. Their hard exoskeleton cracks and their abdomen, or bottom part, expands. Their wings harden and they become adults. Unfortunately, most adult dragonflies live only a few weeks.

Fun Facts About Dragonflies for Kids

There are over 3,600 kinds of dragonflies on the planet.
Dragonflies have sharp teeth. They are fierce hunters. Some dragonflies float over the water like hawks looking for prey. Others dart about grabbing prey quickly. Dragonflies catch insects with their feet. They are expert hunters.
A dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in a single day.
Dragonflies can fly straight up and down and side to side.

Source: easyscienceforkids
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