A newly hatched peacock in the Royal Łazienki. For the first time in a few years
The Royal Łazienki has had a new resident. It is a peacock which hatched from an egg in natural habitat in mid-August. The young bird is healthy and has a good appetite. It enjoys eating boiled eggs and potatoes.
Peacock hatching is an extremely rare phenomenon in the Royal Łazienki. The last such case was a few years ago. The reproduction of peacocks is made difficult by hooded crows and foxes, which visit the park and constitute a threat to peachicks.
This time it happened. The peahen was laying the egg in a secluded place on the island where the stage of the Amphitheatre is located. A few days after hatching, she led the young peacock to land. The Royal Łazienki Museum staff, who was watching the mother from May, reacted immediately and took her with the offspring to an aviary. It will enable the young peacock to grow up in safety. No one will disturb the peahen either as she needs rest. The birds will stay in the aviary for three next months until the young peacock – now covered with a tawny and yellow down – will be better feathered (then it might be possible to identify its gender).
The Royal Łazienki Museum staff, who are taking care of the peacocks, supply them with fresh food every day. The peachick eats boiled vegetables, eggs, chopped nettle, as well as vitamin-fortified cereal grains.
At present, there are four peacocks and five peahens living in the Royal Łazienki. The average life expectancy of these birds is 18 years.
