Relating to breeding and mixing issues up, peafowl and turkeys normally keep on with their very own species.
DEAR JOAN: We now have a peacock that lives in our neighborhood. Final 12 months, her mate was sadly taken by a predator.
She has been accepted into the Turkey Famz. Will she finally discover a mate with the turkeys or will she be alone for the rest of her life?
She is gorgeous, and my cat and canine are amused by her.
Lynda Nunn, Walnut Creek
DEAR LYNDA: She probably received’t be taking over with any tom turkeys, however it doesn’t imply she’ll spend the remainder of her life alone.
Peafowl are thought of polygynous with the male mating with a number of fetching peahens every season. In captivity, peafowl can type bonded pairs, however even within the monogamous world, if one accomplice dies, the opposite will take a brand new mate with a view to perpetuate the species.
Your peahen will surely be amenable to discovering a brand new mate, however irrespective of how spectacular a turkey’s tail feathers are, they'll’t compete with a peacock’s dramatic plumage.
That’s to not say birds don’t mingle outdoors their species, however it's uncommon. When it does occur, it’s normally between two species which might be intently associated. A mallard would possibly mate with one other species of duck, however you wouldn’t see a mallard and penguin hooking up. Turkeys and peafowl are in the identical household, however will not be intently associated.
In instances the place the 2 have bumped feathers, it’s been as a result of a randy peacock didn’t have any peahens accessible to him, so he set his lustful gaze upon a turkey hen.
Till the peahen comes throughout one other roving peacock, she may discover a measure of security and safety residing among the many turkeys, who little question view her as that flamboyant aunt who’s come to pay a go to, however received’t be transferring in fulltime.
There are a selection of feral colonies of peafowls — hens and toms which have escaped their yard pens — all through the Bay Space, so there's hope to your beautiful widow woman.
Mushroom warning
Our latest bounty of rain signifies that mushrooms are popping up far and wide, and we have to control our pets.
Whereas most mushrooms are innocent, there are some lethal ones, and fungus consultants say to keep away from unintentional poisoning, we must always deal with all of them as doubtlessly lethal till positively recognized.
Two of the world’s most poisonous mushrooms — the dying cap (Amanita phalloides) and the Western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata) — are discovered within the Bay Space throughout the wet season.
East Bay Regional Park District Naturalist Trent Pearce, who paperwork and teaches about fungi within the Bay Space, say each of those mushrooms are primarily related to oak bushes and will be discovered rising the place oak roots are current.
Signs might not seem for as much as 12 hours, however for those who suspect your pet has eaten a mushroom, don’t look ahead to signs to indicate up — take it to a vet instantly.
Be taught extra about mushrooms and different fungi on the digital sixth annual Tilden Fungus Honest, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jan. 29-30,. The occasion will characteristic displays, cooking demonstrations, and tons of of mushroom specimens. The occasion is free, and no registration is required. The packages will air on East Bay Regional Park District’s Fb web page and YouTube channel.
Have a query for Joan?
Use this type to submit questions. Pictures must be mailed individually to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
An earlier model of this column included outdated details about the Tilden Fungus Honest. Organizers have switched to 2-day digital program.
An earlier model of this column included outdated details about the Tilden Fungus Honest. Organizers have switched to 2-day digital program.