|
|
The male Indian Peafowl, commonly known as the peacock, is one of the most
recognizable 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 peacock 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 appearance. When
displaying to a female, the peacock erects this train into a spectacular
fan, displaying the ocelli to their best advantage.
The more subtly colored female peacock 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.
National Insignia
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 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.
Distribution and Habitat
The Indian Peacock 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. Its highly ornamental appearance motivated
early seafarers to transplant the peacock to their homelands in other
parts of the western world. Phoenician traders in the time of King Solomon
(1000 B.C.) introduced the birds to present-day Syria and the Egyptian
Pharaohs.
In its native India, the peacock 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.
Diet
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.
Conservation and History of Relationship with Man
The great beauty and popularity of the Indian Peacock has guaranteed its
protection throughout most of its native and introduced ranges. It is the
national bird of India. The peacock 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 peacock can
charm snakes and addle their eggs.
Greek mythology describes how the peacock acquired the many eyes in his
ornamental train. The goddess Hera had a beautiful priestess named Io. Io
was greatly admired by Zeus. To protect her from Hera’s jealousy Zeus
transformed Io into a heifer. Hera tricked Zeus into giving the heifer to
her as a gift and set her faithful servant Argus to watch over her. Argus
had numerous eyes all over his body, making him a natural choice for the
assignment. Zeus sent the god Hermes to free Io from Hera’s watchman.
Hermes charmed Argus to sleep until all of his eyes were closed and then
killed him. To honor her faithful watchman, Hera took Argus’ eyes and
placed them on the tail of the peacock.
This long and close association with humans has proven the peacock’s
adaptability to human-altered landscapes. This species does not appear to
need any additional legal protection or conservation attention.