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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.
The male of the species is more
colourful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and neck,
and a spectacular bronze-green train of around 200 elongated
feathers. The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male,
and lacks the train. The elaborate courtship dance of the male,
fanning out the tail and preening its feathers is a gorgeous
sight.
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. |
