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Can Peacocks Eat Berries?

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Berries are a juicy, tasty, and healthy treat for virtually all domestic animals. But can peacocks eat them? Here’s our answer.

Can peacocks eat berries?

Peacocks can eat berries. In fact, berries are one of the favorite fruits for peacocks, both in the wild and when domesticated. Lucky for them, they can readily peck on berries and digest them. So, they typically experience no issues when they eat moderate amounts of berries.

If you are looking to include berries in your peacocks’ diet, we discuss some things you should know below.

Berries blueberries or bilberry in the bowl

Can Peacocks Eat Berries?

Peacocks can eat berries, and they enjoy them a lot, too. Since berries are typically sweet with a hint of tartness, the love peacocks have for berries is not too surprising.

In the wild, peafowls get an extra treat alongside their berries when insects flock around the berries. Remember, peacocks are omnivores, and insects are one of many things they consume in their varied diet.

In domestic settings, there will typically be no insects around the berries you offer your peacocks. But if you want, you may throw in some dried insects to spice things up for your birds.

Comparative Nutrition Facts of Berries

Below, we compare the nutrient profiles per 100 g of some of the most common berries peacocks can eat:

NutrientsRed RaspberryGrapeBlackberryBlueberriesStrawberriesBananasTomatoes
Calories52694357328918
Protein (g)1.2 0.7 1.4 0.7 0.7 1.1 0.9
Carbohydrates (g)12 17.8 10 14.5 7.7 22.8 3.9
Fiber (g)6.5 1 5 2.4 2 2.6 1.2
Water 85%84%88%84%91%75%95%

The following are some things to note from the table above:

  • While they are not typically thought of as berries, tomatoes and bananas are actually berries.
  • If you’re looking to hydrate your peafowls, tomatoes and strawberries are the best option from the seven berries above.
  • Red raspberry is the ideal choice to increase your peafowls’ fiber intake.
  • If you want the tastiest berries for your birds, you should give them grapes or bananas. Of course, the tastiness of both comes with a relatively higher calorie intake.
  • If you want a berry that will have minimal effect on your peafowls’ overall calorie intake, tomatoes are the best.
  • Berries typically offer very little protein. So, you shouldn’t look to them to supplement your birds’ protein intake.
  • The fat content of berries is usually close to zero, so we did not include fat in the table. Thankfully, the low-fat content of berries is the primary reason they have low calories.
Mixed berries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries

Other nutrients you may find in berries include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Potassium
  • Vitamin C
  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin B1
  • Vitamin B2
  • Vitamin B6
  • Phosphorus
  • Copper
  • Calcium
  • Antioxidants
  • Folate
strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and black berries.

Health Benefits of Berries

They Can Help Fight Oxidative Stress

One thing common to all berries is that they are chock-full of antioxidants. There is possibly no berry without a significant amount of antioxidants.

When a peacock faces oxidative stress, its body contains more free radicals than antioxidants. The consequence is that the free radicals will damage cells and tissues, uninhibited.

But if you supply your peafowl with external antioxidants, you can reduce or stop the damaging activity of free radicals. This is where substances like berries come in.

Since berries are typically filled with antioxidants, they are a great way to prevent and fight oxidative stress. Berries like blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries are particularly high in antioxidants. So, if your goal is to fight oxidative stress in your birds, pick one of these.

They Can Help Improve Digestion

Berries generally contain ample amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. These make them very beneficial to the digestive system.

One of the benefits of fiber to peacocks is that it prevents constipation. Insoluble fibers bulk up fecal matter and absorb water from food, preventing constipation. But beyond that, they may promote enzyme secretion, support gizzard development, and increase the ability of your peafowls’ to digest some food types.

big heap of berries of strawberry and mulberry on white background

Berries Can Help Ease the Discomfort of Inflammation

Besides their effect on oxidative stress, many of the antioxidants in berries have anti-inflammatory properties. Compounds like quercetin, catechins, lycopene, and more have anti-inflammatory effects. So, if your peafowl has an illness that comes with significant inflammation, berries might help ease the overall discomfort.

They May Improve Peacock Skin Structure

One of the visible benefits of fighting oxidative stress is that the aging process is not accelerated. Reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative stress, typically attack cells, including skin cells.

When reactive oxygen species attack skin cells, the cells age faster and die off. But with the antioxidants in berries at play, the damage will reduce or stop. Hence, your birds’ skin won’t age as fast.

Ellagic acid, one of the antioxidants commonly found in various berries, is potentially active in preventing collagen breakdown.

Studies suggest that ellagic acid blocks the enzymatic breakdown of collagen in skin exposed to dangerous amounts of sun. Of course, without collagen, the skin will lose its elasticity. So, by preserving collagen, ellagic acid can help improve your peacock’s skin structure.

Peafowl in rthe field

Berries Can Help Prevent Nutritional Diseases in Peafowls

Besides pathogenic diseases, peafowls suffer from some nutritional diseases, including curled toe paralysis, perosis, nutritional roup, and crazy chick disease.

The diseases stated above are a result of the deficiency of certain nutrients. Thankfully, berries have some of those nutrients. So, if you are trying to ensure your peafowls do not have nutritional diseases, a regular berry diet might help.

Tips for Preparing Berries for Peacocks

Wash the Berries

Before giving your peafowls any fruits or vegetables, wash them. Washing removes germs and possible chemical contaminants so your birds can have a healthy treat.

You May Leave the Seeds

The seeds of berries are typically edible and healthy. So, when giving your peacocks berries, you may leave the seeds alongside the flesh.

Chop Larger Berries

If you have large-sized berries, like bananas and tomatoes, you may have to chop the fruit into smaller pieces to encourage the birds to eat.

Garnish the Berries

Bowl with berries and fruit
A glass bowl filled with a sweet assortment of fruit and berries garnished with mint leaves and served on a wood table.

You could give your peafowls just berries alone, or you may choose to garnish their treat. You could try replicating one of their most natural dietary complements by garnishing the berries with dried insects.

The garnish doesn’t have to be dried insects; you can garnish your peacocks’ berries with any other food item peacocks can eat.

Final Thoughts

Peacocks can eat berries, be it strawberries, tomatoes, blackberries, bananas, or blueberries. Berries are a top source of water, antioxidants, and fiber. They are also juicy and tasty. So, they give peacocks an experience of health and deliciousness.

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