Majestic birds at the Riedmannhof

Lustenau The peacock master Willi gracefully walks around with his colorful feathers in the enclosure at the Riedmannhof in the Lustenauer Ried. If he makes a cartwheel with his feathers, he wants to either impress the peacock Maya or show an approaching enemy how big he really is. Hundreds of peacock eyes, at the end of his feathers, can then be seen. What was already a welcome pet among the Habsburgs and adorned many of their coats of arms is now also the case with farmer Martina Riedmann. “Peacocks are beautiful animals. Her colorful spring wheel is always impressive,” she says. For a year now, the farm has been the new home of the majestic birds and the Riedmann family can no longer imagine life without it.

Plumage falls off after mating

The male peacock needs the colorful plumage to impress the female during courtship. After mating in late summer, it loses all of its magnificent ornamental feathers. “Only in spring, when the breeding season is approaching, do they grow back fairly quickly, so that it can show its best side in time for the next breeding season,” explains Martina Riedmann.

Pfau Willi was successful last year. He fathered four children with the female Maya. “Unfortunately, only one of them survived,” she explains. Little “Thyme”, as the young peacock is called, now lives with his parents and three guinea fowl in the large enclosure. The animal-loving farmer is now hoping for more offspring.

The Riedmannhof is a school-on-farm business, where kindergarten children and schoolchildren can experience the handling of farm animals up close. “Children can feed the cows, clean the horses, collect eggs from the chicken coop, marvel at the pigs, rabbits and goats. Visiting the peacocks is very impressive for many,” says Martina Riedmann. To do this, they collect colorful petals, which they can then give to the birds. In the evening she brings the exotic animals into the stable. Better safe than sorry. Because the peacock family also has to be careful of the fox. vs