Question

Pavo cristatus belong to the order
a) Gruiformes
b) Galliformes
c) Piciformes
d) Passeriformes

Answer 1

Pavo cristatus is the scientific name of the Indian peafowl or commonly known as the peafowl. It is regarded as the national bird of India. It has colorful feathers present and can live up to twenty years when present in the wild. They have a stable population and are under the category of least concerned.

Complete answer: Peafowl belongs to the order Galliformes and belongs to the class of aves. The male peacock is mostly bright in color and has colorful feathers present. They have stiff feathers which they display during courtship. The feather has a distinct colorful pattern of eyespots. These feathers are long and despite their length, the peacock is able to fly along with those feathers. The peahens have dull color as compared to the peacock and do not possess long tail feathers also. They prey on snakes and small rodents. They are mostly present on the ground when in the wild or in a field. They are mostly found in the Indian subcontinent. They are also associated with the mythological beliefs in the subcontinent and in Greek too. They have been put under the category of the least concerned bird by IUCN. This means that they have a stable population.

So, the answer is ‘Galliformes’.

Note: Peacock has great mythological significance in the Indian mythology. It is also regarded as the national bird of India. The birds are killed and hunted for their feathers and their meat though the government has now imposed a ban on such activities and the collection of feathers which are shed naturally is only encouraged.