Congo Peacock
Sometimes, groundbreaking animal discoveries aren’t made in the wild—but within the quiet halls of museums. One such case unfolded in 1913, when the New York Zoological Society dispatched an expedition to the Congo in search of the elusive okapi, a rare and shy forest-dwelling relative of the giraffe. Although the team failed in their attempt to capture a live specimen, one of the members, Dr. James P. Chapin, returned with something far more unexpected: a set of elaborate native headdresses adorned with long, reddish-brown feathers marked with striking black stripes. The origin of these feathers mystified the zoologists and ornithologists of the time—none could identify the bird they came from.
Years later, in 1934, Chapin embarked on one of his many return trips to the Congo region. During a visit to the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, he happened upon a remarkable discovery: two taxidermied birds bearing feathers identical to those on the mysterious headdresses he had seen two decades earlier. These birds were mislabeled as “Young Indian Peacocks”—a classification that didn’t sit right with the keen-eyed ornithologist. Despite the similar coloration, Chapin immediately recognized that these birds didn’t belong to the peacock family of Asia. He began a detailed investigation into their origin.
Digging deeper, Chapin uncovered that the birds had been donated to the museum by a mining company operating in the Congo, which had mistakenly tagged them as Indian peacocks. Upon closer examination, Chapin determined that the birds not only belonged to a different species—they represented a completely new genus that had never been scientifically documented. This was a revelation of significant importance, especially in a time when new bird genera were rarely discovered.
In 1935, determined to study the bird in its natural habitat, Chapin organized a new expedition to the Congo. This time, he returned with seven live specimens of the species, which were known to the local people as the mbulu. The birds had been hiding in plain sight in the dense, humid rainforests of central Africa. Chapin’s research confirmed that they were indeed unique: a true African pheasant, now classified as Afropavo congensis—the Congo peacock. Its closest relatives were not found in Africa, but in Asia, where peacocks of the Pavo genus had long been recognized. This pointed to an ancient evolutionary lineage and helped bridge the understanding between African and Asian galliform birds.
The Congo peacock marked the first discovery of a new bird genus in over forty years, an extraordinary feat that cemented Chapin’s place in zoological history. Today, the Congo peacock is not only a subject of academic interest but also a highlight in many European and North American zoos, where its unique beauty and historical significance continue to captivate bird enthusiasts and visitors alike.
SOURCE:
The Encyclopedia of Loch Monsters,Sasquatch, Chupacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature
Written by Loren Coleman and Jerome Clark – Copyright 1999 Loren Coleman and Jerome Clark
