JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH Journal homepage: www.jakraya.com/journal/jwr ORIGINAL ARTICLE A Review on Indian Peafowl ( Pavo cristatus ) Linnaeus, 1758 Sonika Kushwaha and Akhilesh Kumar Indian Biodiversity Conservation Society, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Abstract India declared the Blue Peafowl (Pavo cristatus ) as National Bird of India in 1963. In India, it is given the utmost protection by its inclusion in the Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Indian Peafowl is the largest among the pheasants. It belongs to the family Phasianidae and order Galliformes. Pavo cristatus have received mention in various cultures and *Corresponding Author: mythology. It is locally common endemic breeding resident of India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The preferred habitats of this pennant species are scrub- Sonika Kushwaha jungles and forest fringes, dry deciduous and semiarid regions, agricultural fields, along streams and near human settlements. They are omnivorous and Email: [email protected] feed on a variety of animal and plant material. WWF and other environmental groups estimated that the population has gone down by almost 50 percent when compared to the population at the time of Received: 03/10/2016 independence. It has been 52 years since Peacock was declared as National Bird but there is no census for peacocks in India that may reveal their abundance and scarcity. Threats include, increasing poaching for feathers Accepted: 27/11/2016 and meat, habitat destruction, mortality due to chemical fertilizers and pesticides, poisoning by farmers to prevent crop damage and extraction of various parts for traditional medicines. They play an important role in regulating the ecosystem balance and are of religious importance. The proper implication of conservation measures is the need of hour before the emblematic National bird is listed in the threatened category of IUCN Red List. Keywords: India, Peafowl, National bird, Population. 1. Introduction protection by its inclusion in the Schedule I of Wildlife India declared the Blue Peafowl ( Pavo cristatus ) (Protection) Act, 1972. Also known as Indian Peafowl as National Bird of India in 1963. According to the or Common Peafowl is the largest among the pheasants. renowned ornithologist, Late Dr. Salim Ali, the peafowl Essentially, all Indian pheasants are terrestrial forest was recommended to the Government as National Bird dwellers, though the Indian Peafowl is known to thrive on account of its widespread distribution in the country also in the non-forest areas and even in urban places. and also because of its longstanding association with The Indian Peafowl prefers scrub forest for its habitat the life and culture of the Indian people. Somehow, this and is distributed widely through the country; it is the latter aspect is taken for granted and it is generally not only pheasant species that is able to adjust easily to appreciated that in no other country of the world the human beings and is at home near habitations and even bonds between the national bird and its people are as in urban areas. This is another factor that has facilitated ancient and intimate as in India. Majestic: For sheer its long and intimate association with the people in attractiveness, adorning ability and adaptability, the India. Indian Peafowl is clearly unsurpassable and Pheasants are regarded as the most distinctive incomparable. No other bird can claim such a triple 'A' bird family of the Himalaya, perhaps, due to their standing. Regal and resplendent, yet common and charismatic features and also their significant role in the plebian, it stands in a class of its own, a true symbol of high altitude ecosystem. They serve as useful indicator India in all its beauty and colorful splendor. It is rightly of habitat/ environmental quality, as a major prey base the National Bird of India. Later, throughout India's for predatory birds and mammals 1 and indicators of history, the peafowl has received state recognition, one adverse human impacts on their ecosystems. 2, 3 way or the other. In India, it is given the utmost Pheasants are important indicator species since their Journal of Wildlife Research | October-December, 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 4 | Pages 42-59 © 2016 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd Kushwaha and Kumar… A Review on Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) Linnaeus, 1758 presence or absence in an area is a good indicator of the North-East India. In recent years, there has been an healthiness of the bionetwork. The peacock symbolizes increasing concern about their declining status. glory, grace, joy, splendor, love and pride. It is believed that the dancing peacock is an indication for off set of 2. Classification, Distribution and rains. At the sight of dark clouds the bird outspreads its Population tail and starts dancing in rhythmic fashion. The The pheasants are group of birds belong to the significance of peacock is attached to cultures of India, Order Galliformes and Family Phasianidae that includes Far East, Ancient Persia, Greek and Christian. It pheasants, partridges and quails, commonly known as occupies a sacred position in Hindu mythology subject ‘game birds’ (Delacour, 1977). The family Phasianidae of voluminous folklore as well as in Sanskrit, literature is the largest and the most diverse assemblage and poetry (Thaker, 1963). Peacock has been associated (Johnsgard, 1986). Out of 51 species of World’s with Lord Krishna who adorns the peacock feather on pheasants, 17 species occur in India with very little his forehead. In Hinduism, the image of the god of ecological information (Fuller and Garson, 2000). thunder, rains and war, Indra, was depicted in the form Order - Galliformes 250 species in World. of a peacock. In south India, peacock is considered as a Familiy - Phasianidae 138 species in World. 'vahana' or vehilce of Lord Muruga (Fig 1). The Indian Species - Pheasants 51 species in World and 17 in India. peafowl plays an important role in the Muslim story of creation as well (Thapar, 1998). The figure of peacock is painted in various Islamic religious buildings. 3. Classification of Indian Peafowl In Christianity, the peacock was also known as Class: Aves the symbol of the 'Resurrection' Order: Galliformes (file:///G:/Review%20on%20Peacock/Peacocks/nationa Family: Phasianidae l_bird.asp.html). This role of the peacock in different Genus: Pavo religions, folklore and mythology had traditionally acted Species: Cristatus as a safeguard against their being killed. The Maurya Three species of peafowl are found in the World and Gupta rulers conferred special status to the species (Dharmakumarsinhji and Lavkumar, 1981): and even reared these birds in their palace gardens. a) Burmese peafowl ( P. muticus) from eastwards Emperor Ashok in the second century BC forbade the to Sumatra (Fig 3a). killing of peafowl for the table and some of his stone b) African peafowl/Congo peafowl (A. edicts displayed the peacock prominently. The famous congensis) in Belgian Congo and (Fig 3b). Sanchi Stupa of around the same period has winged c) Indian Peafowl or blue peafowl (Pavo lions and peacocks that were considered royal, hence cristatus) in Indian subcontinent (Fig 3c). suitable for the Stupa (Fig 2a). During the Gupta period The geographical ranges of P. muticus and P. in the fifth century AD, several coins depicting the cristatus generally do not overlap. However, the peacock were issued and it was also a favourite subject distribution range of P. muticus extends upto 1500 to for the art and architecture of that time (Fig 2b). This 1800 m., whereas P. cristatus is restricted to low plains, trend continued in varying forms subsequently, even frequently less than 600 m. (Baker, 1930). The peacock during the medieval period when the Muslim rulers is widely distributed in the Indian sub-continent, from were dominant. For instance, the Tughlak kings were so the south and east of the Indus River, Jammu and fascinated by the peafowl feather that they adopted its Kashmir, east Assam, south Mizoram and the whole of design for the state emblem and prescribed its use in the Indian peninsula (R Sabesh, 2010). The population various ways, including the headgear of the soldiers. is very high in Rajasthan, Mathura and Chitrakoot. The Moreover, fans made of peacock feathers were destruction of forest areas in Mathura has reduced their regularly used in the courtrooms of many rulers all population, still the mornings echo with may-awe and across the country, including the imperial Mughals (Fig ka-ann. Some districts of Uttar Pradesh like Agra, 2c). Kanpur, Sitapur, Lucknow have good population of Male Indian Peafowl have characteristic colorful peafowls while some districts are reported to have tail feathers or train that makes the male peafowl one of population decline such as Jhansi and Lalitpur. the largest flying birds in the world. The feathers of the It is protected throughout the country, especially Blue Peafowl and both the Jungle fowl are also in under the Schedule-1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection demand. Illegal trade in live birds is also a problem to Act, 1972 and its subsequent amendment and reckon with. The Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus ) was Appendix-1 of CITES (Dodia, 2011). Nevertheless, the once widely distributed and abundant throughout the population of the bird is decreasing in India. It has also Indian mainland except for the Himalayan ranges and been reported that there is no reliable estimate of the population of peafowl available in India (Ali and – Journal of Wildlife Research | October-December, 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 4 | Pages 42-59 © 2016 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd 43 Kushwaha and Kumar… A Review on Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) Linnaeus, 1758 Peacock: vehilce of Lord Muruga Peacock associated with Lord Krishna Fig 1: Peacock in Indian Mythology. Fig 2a: Peacocks in Sanchi Stupa. Fig 2b: Peacocks on coins during Gupta Period. Fig 2c: Peacocks in Mughal Architecture. Journal of Wildlife Research | October-December, 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 4 | Pages 42-59 © 2016 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd 44 Kushwaha and Kumar… A Review on Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) Linnaeus, 1758 Fig 3a: Burmese Peafowl ( P.