THE PEACOCK WALK
Imagine meandering through the countryside of West Virginia, the cool summer breezes bringing you the scents and sounds of the forests and wildlife. New Vrindaban, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, is the sanctuary of 25 peacocks. This self-led Peacock Walk will bring you in contact with these graceful, exotic birds of the East; and the informational boards along the way will introduce you to our feathered friends and will brief you about their habits and why they are so dear to Krishna.
March to July Full-Plume Season
You can hear the peacocks’ distinctive loud calls to lure their mates during the breeding season from spring to early summer. The peacocks’ resplendent tail feathers, or trains, which also attract their mates, are fully grown from March to June and can reach up to six feet long. When they fully spread open their trains like fans (eight feet across), they can delight you with their dancing. If you are even luckier, you may see the only white peacock in New Vrindaban, who will awe you with his unique beauty and grace.
August to February Molting and Regrowth Season
The peacocks start shedding their tail feathers (called molting) at the end of August, and regrow them in January, before the breeding season in the spring. This is the ideal time to treasure hunt for feathers.
MORE ABOUT PEACOCKS—
• Only the males are called “peacocks” in this pheasant family of birds called peafowls. The females are called peahens and do not have the attractive long tail feathers. The babies are called peachicks.
• They are indigenous to India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and the Congo in Africa. Many centuries ago, Lord Krishna frolicked and danced with the peacocks in the sacred land of Vrindavan in India and wore peacock feathers in his hair as a sign of His affection for them.
• The brilliance in the peacocks’ feathers are caused by microscopic crystal-like structures that reflect different wavelengths of light, resulting in bright fluorescent colors.
• In eastern and medieval cultures, the peacock symbolizes beauty and grace, balance, integrity, nobility, protection, immortality, and spirituality.
PLEASE REMEMBER—
• Observe the peacocks and peahens from afar. Please do not confront or startle them nor pluck any feathers. They are the protected species of New Vrindaban.
• You may pick peacock feathers from the ground, treasures to take home.
• Please do not feed the peacocks. They are healthier from food in the wild.
This is a self-led walk, at your own pace, open all year-round.
