Indian Peafowl (Male) or Peacock
Peafowl (Male) or Peacock
Peacock in the wild
Peacock roosted on tree top
Peacock with feathers fanned out
Peafowl (Female) or Peahen
Spectacular colour display of Peacock
Indian Peafowl : The National Bird of India
As the monsoon clouds have enveloped entire Indian sub-continent, rainfall has started and the landscape is changing into lush green meadows. In this pleasant rainy season, all creatures as well as plants & tree display their happiness. But it is Indian Peafowl who enjoy this season most. They open their beautiful wings and perform dances spontaneously in the lap of nature. As the peafowls are endowed with magnificent feathers with multicolour shades and pattern, their colourful body and dance attract attention from all of us. Indian Peafowls snapped in their natural habitat are presented here. Enjoy the beauty of the Nature and its creation.
Salient features of Indian Peafowl:
· Male Peafowls (Peacock) have magnificent long and colourful tail feathers which is called ‘train’. It consists of numerous ocelli ( or eye spots )which are very attractive while open in semi-circle shape. They have blue neck & breast and unique fan - shaped crest and white patches under the eyes.It is male peafowl who perform dances in rainy season to draw attention of female peafowl.
· Female Peafowl (Peahen) lacks train, has whitish face and throat, bronze-green colour neck, brown upper-parts and white belly.
· Its call is trumpeting, far-carrying and mournful ‘kee-ow, kee-ow, kee-ow’.
· They are gregarious and roosts in tall trees. Normally sighted near water bodies, cultivation, dense forest and villages.
· They feed mainly on grain, berries, seeds, flowers, insects, worms, small reptiles & mammals. etc.
· Its scientific name is ‘Pavo cristatus’ and it belongs to ‘Phasianidae’ (i.e. ground-living bird) family.
· Its Hindi name is ‘मोर or मयूर ’.
# As per Indian mythology, peafowl is believed to be ‘vahan’ (carrier) of Lord Kartikeya.
# The Peacock was declared as the National Bird of India on 01st February, 1963 since it is deeply imbibed with Indian custom & culture and found throughout the country.
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