Peacock is the national bird of India. Indian Government declared that Peacock will be the National Bird in 1963, on February 1. It is one of the National Symbols of India.
The topic, ‘National Bird of India’ is also mentioned in chapter 2 of Indian Year Book (IYB.) There have been questions in the IAS Exam Prelims in the past revolving around National Symbols, hence it is suggested that aspirants should know the basic facts about National Bird of India.
This article will provide you with those basic facts about the National Bird of India that will come useful for the UPSC examination.
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Why Peacock is our National Bird?
Peacock (Pavo Cristatus) is the national bird of India because of the various reasons mentioned below:
- It is well-distributed within the nation
- Peacock has been attached to our traditions (In Indian traditions, the feather of Peacock is related to intelligence. Also, Lord Krishna is depicted as the one decorating his diadem with Peacock’s feather.)
- It is recognizable by the common man
- It lends itself to formal depiction too i.e., it can be used by the government for publications
- It is not muddled with any other National Bird symbol of any other nation
- It has an association with our myths and legends. (In Indian Mythology, Peacock is the vehicle of Lord Murugan.)
It is really an occasional and beautiful sight for the nature-loving people. It is the symbol of elegance, joy, beauty and affection.
Facts about the National Bird of India for UPSC
There are a few important points about Indian National Bird mentioned in the table below:
| Interesting Facts about the National Bird of India |
| 1. The Indian peacock is the national bird of India. Peacocks are swan-sized birds indigenous to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar. |
| 2. The Peacock was acknowledged as the National Bird of India in 1963. |
| 3. The peacock is well distributed within the country and familiar to the common man. |
| 4. Peacock has a projecting reference in ancient Indian Art and Architecture as well as has a religious and mythological connection in Indian traditions. |
| 5. In Hinduism, the peacock is portrayed as the image of the God of thunder, rains, and war, Indra. |
| 6. Peacocks have been given full protection under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. |
| 7. Peacocks have been considered as sacred birds by Hindus. The bird is related to Lord Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva. |
| 8. The peacocks are omnivorous, found in low altitude grasslands, forests, and adjacent human habitats. |
| 9. The founder of the Maurya dynasty, Chandragupta Maurya, was believed to be the child of peacock tamers– Mayura-Poshakha in Sanskrit. |
| 10. According to IUCN Red list peacock belongs to Least Concern category. |
There are other National Symbols of India, articles on which are linked in the table below and you can refer them for UPSC Exam:
Frequently Asked Questions on Facts About National Bird of India
Q 1. Why was Peacock chosen as India’s National Bird?
Q 2. What is the difference between Peacock and Peafowl?
For more UPSC related preparation material, refer to the links given in the table below. You can check the UPSC Syllabus to familiarise yourself with the exam pattern:
Related Links
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