The Indian peafowl or blue peafowl (Pavo
cristatus) is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native
to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of
the world. The species was first named and described by Linnaeus in 1758.
The name Pavo cristatus is still in use now. The male peacock is
predominantly blue with a fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers
and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert
feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff and elongated feathers
are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. The female
lacks the train, has a greenish lower neck and a duller brown plumage. The
Indian peafowl is found mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under
cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but will also prey on snakes,
lizards, and small rodents. Their loud calls make them easy to detect, and in
forest areas often indicate the presence of a predator such as a tiger. They
forage on the ground in small groups and will usually try to escape on foot
through undergrowth and avoid flying, though they will fly into tall trees to
roost. The bird is celebrated in Indian and Greek mythology and
is the national bird of India. The Indian peafowl is listed as of Least
Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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