India

People love clicking birds, but (un)fortunately the only bird that visits my home is a Peacock. Well, this is an Indian Peacock [Pavo cristatus (Asiatic)] and I feel proud to say that its my country's national bird. Whenever I look at this bird, I'm reminded of India, since this bird is symbolic of qualities like beauty, grace, pride and mysticism.

In 1963, the peacock was declared the National Bird of India because of its rich religious and legendary involvement in Indian traditions. The criteria for this choice were many. The bird must be well-distributed within the country so it could truly be 'national'. It must be recognizable to the common man. It must lend itself to formal depiction, i.e. abstract depiction on government publications, etc. It must not be confused with the bird emblem of any other nation. It should be associated with Indian myths and legends. The peacock fit the bill. It is a sacred bird for Indians, protected not only by religious sentiments but also under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.