Peacock Scratching The Forest Floor In Search Of Insects, Gir National Park, Gujarat, India Stock Image

The two Asiatic species of ‘peafowl’ are the blue or Indian peafowl originally of the Indian subcontinent, and the green peafowl of Southeast Asia. These two come under the genera Pavo and belong to the pheasant family. Male peafowl are referred to as ‘peacocks’.Peacocks are known for their piercing calls. The Indian peacock has iridescent blue and green plumage, mostly metallic blue and green and they display their colourful plumage, during their courtship dance. Peafowl are forest birds that nest on the ground, but roost in trees. They are terrestrial feeders, scratching around in leaf litter looking for food either early in the morning, or at dusk.They are omnivores and eat mostly plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects, tiny reptiles, and amphibians. They retreat to the shade and security of the woods for the hottest portion of the day. The peacock is a symbol of Indian culture and religion. India adopted the peacock as its national bird in 1963 and it is one of the national symbols of India.