Rare Wildlife Courtship and Behaviour Documentation
I spend hours, sometimes days, just watching. These images document rare animal courtship and family behaviour, capturing the real life of our wild friends away from the old myths.
This is an unusual scene I captured during peafowl mating. While the pair was mating, a young male came very close to watch the process. It is moments like these that help us understand the social dynamics and learning processes in the wild, and it helps to clear the myths around their breeding.
This is my dream shot of a peacock and peahen mating. I have spoken to men over 70 years old who have lived near peacocks their whole lives and still believe the old tear-drinking myth. This picture is clear proof that they mate just like other birds, a fact I am happy to share.
Mating in peafowls lasts for only 6 to 13 seconds, which is why it is so rarely seen. I have been fortunate to record it many times since 2016. This image, set against a lush green background with flowers, shows this natural act of procreation in a beautiful setting.
In this video, you can see the peahen tenderly caring for her beloved peacock. She is cleaning insects from his head, and he is completely still, as if hypnotized by her attention. It is a beautiful display of care and affection between a pair.
A peahen and peacock expressing their feelings for each other. This tender moment, captured in the wilderness of Delhi, reminds me of a beautiful Hindi song about finding all the happiness in the world when you are with the one you love.
Here, the peahen expresses her deep love for the peacock. The mood of the image and the emotions it conveys are like a love song. It is a moment of boundless feeling, captured in a natural frame created by the tree branches.
The peahen's love for her beloved is clear in this image. She seems to be saying, "I will love you in any way you want." The green background and the gentle interaction between the pair make this a very romantic and peaceful photograph.
This picture of a peafowl couple has always received a massive response from viewers. People say it touches their hearts and reminds them of their own love stories. It is a simple moment of endearment, but it speaks a universal language of love.
This is another moment of deep connection between a peacock and peahen. It reminds me of a song from the movie 'Aandhi', "Tum Aa Gaye Ho, Noor Aa Gaya Hai," which means "Now that you have arrived, a new light has come." It was taken just before the lockdown in March 2020.
On the festival of Karwa Chauth, wives fast for the long life of their husbands. In this image, it appears as if the peahen is offering food to the peacock, like a wife breaking her fast. It is a beautiful connection between our traditions and the natural world.
About Documenting Rare Moments: Courtship & Behaviour
Most people believe peahens get pregnant from peacock tears, but after years of patient observation, I have captured the actual 6 to 13 second mating process. These images are not just pretty pictures, they are documented evidence of natural behaviour meant to clear up age-old myths that persist even today.
Wildlife photography for me is an exercise in patience and documentation. When you spend long hours in places like Sunder Nursery in Delhi or the Chilla Range in Rajaji National Park, you begin to see patterns that the casual observer misses. Nature does not reveal its secrets easily, and mating rituals, in particular, are often brief and elusive.
My approach is to strip away the folklore and show the science. Take the Sarus Crane, a bird that mates for life. Their courtship is a performance, a duet that reinforces their bond, but witnessing the actual act is rare. Similarly, the Shikra, a common hunter in our urban skies, has a specific mating ritual that I have been fortunate to record. Even the Blue Bull, or Neelgai, has complex social interactions that I have documented with the help of my son, Bharat.
Each photograph I share includes the context of when and where it was taken, because the 'how' and 'where' are just as important as the image itself. Whether it is the Pied Crested Cuckoo signalling the monsoon or a peacock pair in a moment of endearment, my goal is to connect you with the wild truth. These fine art prints and licensed images are available for those who value authentic documentation of our natural heritage.
Vinod Goel
I am a retired civil servant who now dedicates his days to the wild. I do not just take pictures, I wait for the stories animals tell when they think no one is watching.
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