Our national bird, the peacock is perhaps one of the most beautiful birds in the world. It is a large bird with small beady eyes. A plume on its head makes it look really majestic. The peacock has a beautiful, multi-hued resplendent tail. It is a deep, rich, blue-green in colour. When it rains, the peacock spreads his tail like a fan and dances. A dancing peacock is a delightful sight. Peacocks can keep their tail open for hours, but they cannot use their beautiful feathers to fly very far. A peacock can fly only short distances and up to a reasonable tall tree. Its feathers are as smooth as velvet. It has an ‘eye’ at its end. This makes it even more beautiful. A peacock does not have a very melodious call. In fact, its call is rather harsh and unpleasant. It eats worms and grains and lives in large, open and wooded areas. The snake is its biggest enemy. The female bird is called the peahen. It is not as beautiful as a peacock. Therefore, it is the peacock which has been declared as the national bird and not the peahen.