In News:

India presented five Indian peafowls—including four blue peafowls and one rare white-feathered male—to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). The gesture highlights India's cultural heritage and commitment to biodiversity conservation.

About Indian Peafowl

The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is a large, colourful bird belonging to the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It was declared the National Bird of India in 1963 and has considerable cultural, ecological and mythological significance.

It is native to South Asia, particularly India, and is also found in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. It inhabits a wide range of environments, including open forests, thorn scrub, agricultural fields, grasslands and areas around human settlements.

Conservation status:

• IUCN: Least Concern
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Key Features

Indian peafowl exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males have a metallic-blue head and neck with a prominent crest, while females have comparatively dull brown plumage that provides camouflage during nesting.

The male's spectacular "tail" is actually an elongated upper-tail covert train, containing more than 200 feathers with eye-like markings called ocelli. These are prominently displayed during courtship.

The white peafowl presented by India represents a rare genetic colour variation associated with leucism. Unlike albino birds, leucistic peafowls generally retain normally pigmented eyes.

Indian peafowl are omnivorous ground feeders, consuming seeds, grains, insects, small reptiles and young snakes. They generally roost on trees or elevated structures at night.