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The peacock was named the National Bird of India in 1963 because it is the most auspicious animal that embodies our country’s fauna and has a long history of religious and legendary significance in Indian culture. The Peacock is a magnificent creature with its beauty and grace, and it embodies the national spirit whose colours are connected with Indian identity.
India’s national bird is the peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus). It represents attributes such as beauty, grace, pride, and mysticism. Peacocks have a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye, and a long, thin neck. They are a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye, and a long, slender neck.
Why Peacock is our National Bird
Because of the reasons listed below, the peacock (Pavo Cristatus) is India’s national bird:
It is widely diffused throughout the country.
Peacock has long been associated with our culture (in Indian tradition, peacock feathers are associated with intelligence).
The average person can recognise it.
It also lends itself to formal portrayal, i.e., the government can utilise it for publications.
It is not confused with any other country’s National Bird insignia.
It is linked to our mythologies and stories. (The Peacock is Lord Murugan’s vehicle in Tamil mythology.)
Amazing Facts about the National Bird of India
1. The Indian peacock is the country’s national bird. Peacocks are large birds that are native to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar.
2. In 1963, the Peacock was designated as India’s National Bird.
3. The peacock is widely disseminated throughout the country and is well-known by the general public.
4. Peacock has a theological and mythical significance in Indian traditions, as well as a projecting reference in ancient Indian art and architecture.
5. The peacock is depicted in Hinduism as the image of Indra, the God of Thunder, Rains, and War.
6. The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provides full protection to peacocks.
7. Peacocks have long been revered by Hindus as sacred birds. Lord Murugan, Lord Shiva’s son, is associated to the bird.
8. Peacocks are omnivorous and can be found in low-elevation grasslands, woods, and human settings.
9. Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya dynasty, was said to be the son of peacock tamers or Mayura-Poshakha in Sanskrit.
10. Peacocks are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.
Features and Characteristics
The Indian Peacock’s plumage is a magnificent iridescent blue-green. The display feathers on its back are tremendously extended and ornamental, each with an eye at the end. The female’s plumage is a mix of drab green, grey, and iridescent blue, with the greenish-grey being the most prominent. Females can be differentiated from males during the mating season by the lack of long ‘tail feathers,’ often known as a train, and during the non-breeding season by the green hue of the neck, in a contrast to the blue on males.
The male of the species is more colourful than the female, with a gleaming blue breast and throat and a stunning bronze-green train of roughly 200 elongated feathers that it can expand like a fan in an ostentatious display. The female is brownish in colour, significantly smaller than the male, and does not have a train. The call of these birds is not as lovely as they appear; it is harsh. The male’s complex courtship dance, which includes fanning out the tail and preening the feathers, is a sight to behold.
Males average 2.12 m (7.3 feet) in full breeding plumage (107 cm/42 in when not) and weigh around 5 kg, while females are about to 86 cm (34 in) long and weigh about 3.4 kg (7.4 pounds) (11 lbs). The male is known as a peacock, while the female is known as a peahen.
Location
The peacock may be found throughout the Indian subcontinent, including Jammu and Kashmir, east Assam, and south Mizoram, as well as the entire Indian peninsula. They reside in jungle places near water and are found wild in India (as well as tamed in settlements). Peacocks were historically bred for food, but hunting them is now prohibited in India.
Conclusion
The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch beneath the eye, and a long, thin neck. It is India’s National Bird. The male of the species has a more vibrant blue breast and throat, as well as a stunning bronze-green tail with roughly 200 elongated feathers. The female has a brownish colouration, is slightly smaller than the male, and does not have a tail. The male’s complex wooing dance, which includes fanning out the tail and preening the feathers, is breathtaking.
