Know
the Peacock
Peacocks, commonly called peafowl (peacock refers to the male), are large
pheasants, family Phasianidae, of the Indian-Asian region. They are found in
dry forests, mostly in small groups containing of one male and several
females. Peafowl rarely fly; instead, they run from danger. True peafowl
include the blue peacock, Pavo cristatus, of India and Sri Lanka, and the
green peacock, P. muticus, of Burma and Indochina. A rare and aberrant form,
the Congo peacock, Afropavo congensis, is found only in forests of the Congo
basin in Africa.
Mythological Significance
The peafowl is prominent in the mythology and folklore of the Indian
people. The Hindus consider the bird to be sacred because the god Kartikeya
(son of the Lord Shiva and Parvati and brother to the god Ganesh) rides on
its back. Legends hold that the peafowl can charm snakes and addle their
eggs. Peacock always accompanies the images of Lord Krishna. And the
beautiful peacock feather is also part of Lord Krishna's crown.
The peacock finds reference in the Greek myth, in the bible, and was known
to the pharaoh of Egypt and to the 14th century Europe, where it was roasted
and served to in its own plumage.
Physical Features
The male Indian Peafowl, commonly known as the peacock, is one of the most
recognisable birds in the world. These large, brightly colored birds have a
distinctive crest and an unmistakable ornamental train. The train (1.4-1.6
meters in length) accounts for more than 60% of their total body length (2.3
meters). Combined with a large wingspan (1.4-1.6 meters), this train makes
the male peafowl one of the largest flying birds in the world. The train is
formed by 100-150 highly specialized uppertail-coverts. Each of these
feathers sports an ornamental ocellus, or eye-spot, and has long
disintegrated barbs, giving the feathers a loose, fluffy look. When
displaying to a female, the peacock erects this train into a spectacular
fan, presenting the ocelli to their best advantage.
The more subtly coloured female Peafowl is
mostly brown above with a white belly. Her ornamentation is limited to a
prominent crest and green neck feathers. Though females (2.75-4.0 kg) weigh
nearly as much as the males (4.0-6.0 kg), they rarely exceed 1.0 meter in
total body length.
Social Characteristics
Peacock or peafowl Large bird belonging to the pheasant family, in East
Asia being its native region. The crested common peacock during courtship
displays his elongated upper tail which converts into a magnificent green
and gold erectile train adorned with green blue " eyes " before
the duller plumaged peahen. The peacock is a ornamental bird and is of
quarrelsome nature and does not mix well with other domestic animals.
Habitat & Diet
They are omnivorous, obtaining most of their food by scratching the leaf
litter with their strong feet. Indian Peafowl do most of their foraging in
the early morning and shortly before sunset. They retreat to the shade and
security of the forest for the hottest portion of the day. Foods include
grains, insects, small reptiles, small mammals, berries, drupes, wild figs,
and some cultivated crops.
Key Factors
Family : Phasianidae
Eating Habit : Omnivorous
Blue Peacock : Pavo cristatus (found in India and Sri Lanka)
Green Peacock : P. muticus (found in Burma and Indochina)
Congo Peacock : Afropavo congensis (found in the Congo basin in
Africa)
Major Sites : Indus river, Jammu and Kashmir, east
Assam, south Mizoram and the
whole of the Indian peninsula.
National Bird of India
The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), the national bird of India,
is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a
white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck.
Major Sites
The Indian Peafowl occurs from eastern Pakistan through India, south from
the Himalayas to Sri Lanka. Though once common in Bangladesh, it may now be
extinct in that country. In its native India, the peafowl is a creature of
the open forests and riparian undergrowth. In southern India, it also
prefers stream-side forests but may also be found in orchards and other
cultivated areas.
Peacock & Conservation
The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-continent from the south and
east of the Indus river, Jammu and Kashmir, east Assam, south Mizoram and
the whole of the Indian peninsula. The peacock enjoys immense protection. It
is fully protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection) Act, 1972.
This long and close association with humans has proven the peafowl’s
adaptability to human-altered landscapes. This species does not appear to
need any additional legal protection or conservation attention.
