The Peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), the national bird of India. It is symbolic of qualities like beauty, grace, pride and mysticism.The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-continent from the south and east of the Indus river, Jammu and Kashmir, east Assam, south Mizoram and the whole of the Indian peninsula. Found wild in India they live in jungle lands near water. Hunting of peacocks is banned in India.

It is fully protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.