It's the national bird of India, the source of strong patriotic pride. Native to Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan) the birds were highly prized for their beauty and unique appearance. As a result they were captured and given asgifts to royalty, and bred in countries around the world.
King Solomon's fleet brought the exotic creatures, with their iridescent blue-green tail-feathers, to Jerusalem. Reference is made in 2 Chronicles 9:21: "For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.(KJV)
