Pavo cristatus
| family: | Phasianidae |
| geographic range: | East India, South Asia |
| weight: | 2.7-6 kg |
| lifespan: | 20-25 years |
| habitat: | forest |
| lifestyle: | solitary |
It is endemic in Srí Lanka, Nepal and India. It is common in deciduous, mixed and evergreen forests. Its most obvious characteristic feature is its feathers. Males have 1.2 m long feathers.
Its neck and chest is bright, vivid blue, with golden feathers. Their design is similar to eyes. The more decorative the feathers are, the more chances the male has for mating. Females fight for the most decorative males. It is very cautious and vigilant.
They spend a lot of time with picking their feathers, especially males. It even eats young cobras. Their feathers appear in arts, literature and Buddhists believe that gods travel on peafowls.
