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.