In Greek mythology, the bird especially sacred to Hera was the peacock.
Hera was the queen of the gods and the wife of Zeus, and the peacock became one of her principal attributes. Ancient stories connect the bird’s many-eyed tail with Argus Panoptes, the hundred-eyed guardian whom Hera appointed to watch Io. After Argus was killed, Hera was said to have placed his eyes on the peacock’s tail.
The peacock appears in artistic representations associated with Hera and with her Roman counterpart, Juno. Its imagery emphasized majesty, watchfulness, and royal status. The bird’s spectacular tail also made it a fitting emblem for a powerful goddess.
The owl is more strongly associated with Athena, while the eagle is commonly linked with Zeus. Doves can be connected with Aphrodite in Greek tradition, so these birds are frequent alternatives in general mythology quizzes, but they are not Hera’s characteristic sacred bird.