Peacocks in the Glen

Sep 24

Peacock Day

Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day

Peacock Day

Peacocks in the Glen

Today's Musings, History & Folklore

“The peacock hath fair feathers, but foul feet.”

~ English proverb

Or perhaps that should be “fowl feet.” 🦚

While perhaps not the smartest of birds, male peacocks certainly know how to catch the eye—especially the eyes of the ladies. Peahens choose their mates partly through visual cues, and research suggests they pay particular attention to the male’s spectacular train, including the number and display of its distinctive “eye spots.”

This 32-bar reel devised by Alison Austin is a tribute to the peacocks of Pittencrieff Park—known locally as The Glen—in Dunfermline. Peacocks have been a colourful presence there since 1905, and these local celebrities have even inspired books chronicling their fictional adventures!

So an optional birl in the middle of the dance seems especially appropriate. Spread those metaphorical tail feathers, strut your stuff, and see if you can catch the admiring eye of the rest of the set! 🕺 💃 💚 💙 💚 🦚 🦚 🦚

Peacocks in the Glen

Peacocks, although they have mixed reputation in various cultures for both good and bad luck, share this celebratory day with another blue bird for Bluebird(s) of Happiness & Peacock Day.

A recent study recently published in The British Journal of Animal Behaviour says that when a peacock fans its ornamented train for the ladies during mating season, its feathers quiver, emitting a low-frequency sound inaudible to human ears. Depending on whether they want to attract females from far away or up close, they can change the sound by shaking different parts of their feathers. They are now one of several animals known to create infrasonic sounds, most likely to communicate over long distances.

This dance is named for the famous Peacocks of Pittencrieff Park who have roamed this area in Dunfermline since 1905.

Peacocks have lived in Pittencrieff Park since 1905 when the Philanthropist Henry Beveridge returned to his hometown of Dunfermline from India, bringing with him the first Peacocks of Pittencrieff Park. Known locally as The GIen, Pittencrieff Park was gifted to the townspeople of Dunfermline three years earlier in 1902, by Dunfermline's most famous son, Andrew Carnegie. Since then the majestic Peacocks have been given the Freedom of the City and are regularly seen strutting around the town and park.

To learn more about one of the rarest of these beautiful blue birds in their special white incarnation, the white peacock, click the beautiful white peacock!

Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!