UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

The Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus (Galliformes: Phasianidae) is the national bird of India, and is widespread and broadly scattered in the Indian Subcontinent. The population of the Indian blue peafowl is on the decline and the bird has become locally extinct in some areas of its past distribution range. A total of 20 line transects were sampled in the chosen study area (Thiruvidaimaruthur Taluk of Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu). Each transect was one kilometre length.  The study was carried out for six months. The Indian Peafowl population was estimated using the line transect approach. Transects of one kilometres in length were used to walk across the cultivated fields and natural habitats which were regarded as the sampling unit. The Peafowl abundance was studied in different habitats such teak trees, sugarcane, banana plantations, bamboo vegetation, and paddy fields.  The overall Peafowl density in different habitats was studied. The density of overall peafowl in the Paddy field was 8.65/km² and in Banana plantation 5.25/km². The density in Bamboo vegetation was 5.20/km² and Sugar cane 4.20/km² and Teak tree 5.95/km². This study showed the habitat selection in Indian peafowl in the study area in which paddy field was highly preferred (selected) than sugar cane habitat by Indian peafowl. The other habitats such banana plantation, bamboo habitat and teak wood habitats were moderately used.