Survival of the fittest? Why flashiness is best for the mating game – if you’re a peacock, that is
About BBC WildlifeContact usCompetitionsAnimalsAnimal IDQuizzesAmphibiansBirdsFishInsects & InvertebratesMammalsMarine animalsReptilesGalleriesPlantsPlant IDFlowersTreesFungiWater PlantsWildlife GardenHolidays & Days OutUKAfricaAntarticaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaOceaniaTravel PlannerHow toIdentify WildlifeHow to make thingsWatch WildlifePhotograph WildlifePhotography MasterclassesWildlife GardeningEnvironmentOn The BBCMagazineCurrent issueSubscribeContact usMeet the teamHistory of BBC WildlifeSubscribeHome Animal Facts Survival of the fittest? Why flashiness is best for the mating game – if you’re a peacock, that isSurvival of the fittest? Why flashiness is best for the mating game – if you’re a peacock, that isIn theory, peacocks with bright, big tails are at a survival disadvantage – so why are they the most popular partners among peahens?Adult Male Indian Peacock ( Pavo cristatus) displaying his colorful FeathersBeki HooperPublished: September 21, 2025 at 3:40 amMany species have evolved to be as inconspicuous as possible so they are not spotted by predators – but peacocks buck this trend with their long tails and colourful eyespots. These conspicuous features are thought to have evolved because of something called the handicap principle.
Faking it: Watch what happens when BBC cameras capture a peacock faking a mating call to try and entrap females
This hypothesises that males who are more obvious to predators, or who must expend more energy on a day-to-day basis because of heavy or large features such as tusks or tails, are less able to survive. This means that the ones who do survive must be of very high quality. Females want to mate with these males because their offspring will be more likely to survive and reproduce – which is the aim of the evolutionary game.
This flamboyant bird is known for its colourful ‘eyes’ and elaborate courtship – but it’s not actually a peacock…
In peacocks, males with the longest, showiest tails are at a survival disadvantage compared with their drabber peers – not only are they are more obvious to predators but it takes a lot of energy to lug those long tails around.
Females choose to mate with these showier males as, despite the disadvantage of their dazzling tails, they have managed to survive. The genes encoding fantastic tails and stunning eyespots are therefore passed on through the generations.
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Beki has a PhD in cognitive evolution and a double master’s degree in evolutionary biology. She writes about human and animal evolutionary biology, genetics and genomics, psychology, cognition, conservation and animal ethics.You may also likeDiscover Wildlife15 weirdest birds on the planet: meet the strangest wonders of the avian world – including one that asks humans for help and another that smells like a cow 7/7/2025 There are plenty of contenders for the weirdest bird list from the ‘stinky’ hoatzin to the strange-looking secretary bird. Here are our favourite weirdest birdsmoreanimal-factsbirdsapple-newssamsung-newsDiscover Wildlife9 animals that change colour: Discover the creatures that can disappear in plain sight, thanks to their magic powers 4/21/2025 From colour-shifting squids to snow-white stoats, these are the awe-inspiring species that can change their appearance and colourmoreanimal-factsapple-newsDiscover Wildlife24 beautiful blue animals – including birds, frogs, lizards and bees 1/20/2025 Discover 24 amazing blue animals – some common, some rare. And there may even be some surprises… blue bee anyone?moreanimal-factsphoto-galleriesDiscover Wildlife10 rainbow animals: A dazzling display of colourful fur, feathers and scales 11/28/2024 animal-factsapple-newsfbxinstaTerms & ConditionsPrivacy PolicyCookies PolicyCode of conductLicensingSubscriptionFind UsManage preferencesThis website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk© Our Media 2025
About BBC WildlifeContact usCompetitionsAnimalsAnimal IDQuizzesAmphibiansBirdsFishInsects & InvertebratesMammalsMarine animalsReptilesGalleriesPlantsPlant IDFlowersTreesFungiWater PlantsWildlife GardenHolidays & Days OutUKAfricaAntarticaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaOceaniaTravel PlannerHow toIdentify WildlifeHow to make thingsWatch WildlifePhotograph WildlifePhotography MasterclassesWildlife GardeningEnvironmentOn The BBCMagazineCurrent issueSubscribeContact usMeet the teamHistory of BBC WildlifeSubscribeHome Animal Facts Survival of the fittest? Why flashiness is best for the mating game – if you’re a peacock, that is Animal Facts Survival of the fittest? Why flashiness is best for the mating game – if you’re a peacock, that isBeki HooperMany species have evolved to be as inconspicuous as possible so they are not spotted by predators – but peacocks buck this trend with their long tails and colourful eyespots. These conspicuous features are thought to have evolved because of something called the handicap principle.
Faking it: Watch what happens when BBC cameras capture a peacock faking a mating call to try and entrap females
This hypothesises that males who are more obvious to predators, or who must expend more energy on a day-to-day basis because of heavy or large features such as tusks or tails, are less able to survive. This means that the ones who do survive must be of very high quality. Females want to mate with these males because their offspring will be more likely to survive and reproduce – which is the aim of the evolutionary game.
This flamboyant bird is known for its colourful ‘eyes’ and elaborate courtship – but it’s not actually a peacock…
In peacocks, males with the longest, showiest tails are at a survival disadvantage compared with their drabber peers – not only are they are more obvious to predators but it takes a lot of energy to lug those long tails around.
Females choose to mate with these showier males as, despite the disadvantage of their dazzling tails, they have managed to survive. The genes encoding fantastic tails and stunning eyespots are therefore passed on through the generations.
Discover more amazing wildlife stories from around the world
Powerful images show beauty and brutality of birds like you’ve never seen them before
Stripy animals with big eyes found on remote oil rig in North Sea. What they were carrying stuns researchers
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