Whenever there is a discussion about beautiful birds, the talk naturally turns towards the peacock. And this is absolutely justified given the magnificence of the bird and its unmatched colors. They are birds that have been acknowledged the most on our planet and they deserve all the attention they are getting.
Their shimmering feathers, tails that take the form of a fan, and the admirable show of colorful feathers on every wing sweep us off our feet every time we see them.
Though these gorgeous birds belonged only to the wild initially, of late, for the past few decades, things have changed and some people have had the opportunity to have peacocks as exotic pets. This has led to a widespread increase in the number of countries in which they are found.
It is a well-known fact that peacocks, with all their unique colors, look astonishing. But have you ever thought of a peacock without any of its colors? Wondering how it will look? Well, it will be completely white and will look ravishing without any doubt.
White peacocks look breathtakingly beautiful but some people have raised doubts about them being albino peacocks.
What is White Peacock ?
The white peacock is a rare and beautiful bird that is found in parts of Asia and Africa. These birds are different from the more common blue peacocks in that they are completely white. They are not albino, however, as they have normal pigmentation in their eyes and feathers. White peacocks are prized by bird enthusiasts for their unique beauty and are becoming increasingly rare as their habitat is destroyed.
Does White Peacocks Exist?
We now turn to look at why these peacocks are white. Is there a species called white peacock or do they become white because of some reason? The answer to these questions seems to be Leucism. So, what is Leucism? This is not just one condition but a few conditions together that result in the partial loss of pigmentation in an animal.
Leucism can occur in many parts of the animal’s body. There is just one part that is untouched by this condition – the eyes. Other than the eyes, it affects many other parts such as the skin, hair, feathers, or scales. The areas affected by this condition become white, pale, or have patchy coloring.
This explains that white peacocks are not a species by themselves. They are also blue peacocks affected by Leucism. However, this is not very common and this makes the white peacock all the more special. There is another surprising fact about white peacocks. They are not born white. They are actually born yellow. The color gradually changes to white as they grow. Sometimes, this condition does not affect all parts of the peacock uniformly. In such cases, the peacocks end up having partial leucism. This means they have a loss of color only in some areas.
Do You Think There Are Albino Peacocks?
All this information makes us wonder if albino peacocks are really there. The answer is yes there are albino peacocks. If white peacocks are rare, then albino peacocks are rarer. There is a major difference between a white peacock and an ab albino peacock. The eyes of the albino peacocks are red. So, at times, people think they are looking at an albino peacock when they are actually looking at a white peacock with eyes that are not red. So, a peacock with white feathers and eyes that are not red is actually a white peacock.
The red eyes that albino peacocks have owe their color to the entire absence of melanin. Melanin is the name given to a set of natural pigments produced by a large number of organisms. This decides the color of the organism’s skin, hair, and feathers.
Different Peacock colors
You will actually be amazed at the number of differently colored peacocks that are there. Other than the regular peacocks we see, there are peacocks that are purple, opal, cameo, peach, bronze, charcoal, jade, taupe, and midnight. Of course, there are white peacocks too.
Wikipedia gives us the information that there are hundreds of differently colored and patterned peacocks that are transformations of the original version – the Indian Blue Peafowl. These are varieties that are acknowledged by breeders. These different varieties consist of solid wing color, pied in which the color distribution is not uniform, and white-eyed in which the eye feathers are white instead of black.
The source of the colors in the peacock’s feathers is very surprising. The source is not, as we think, the pigments that normally are responsible for coloring. They owe their origin to structural changes which scatter light and this results in the astonishing colors that adorn the peacock. The best pose of the peacock that we all wait to see is the dance in which it opens up its tail fully and displays brilliant colors. Peacocks are smart enough to turn towards the sun during this time in order to intensify the colors of the feathers.
Have You Ever Seen White Peacocks ?
The genetic mutation that causes the color of white peacocks is not at all common and so, these peacocks are also not common at all in the wild. The few white peacocks that exist are not enough to breed among themselves. So, they breed with the regular peacocks and this results in the naturally blue-colored peacocks.
However, if white peacocks are bred with other white peacocks, then we will have white peachicks. This kind of breeding is done in captivity.
What Is The Cost of White Peacocks ?
White peacocks can be bought and a pair of these beautiful birds may cost from a few hundred dollars to $1500 in the US.
Check out https://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/ if you wish to find breeders in the US.
Where Do Peacocks Come From ?
The origin of the white peacock is the blue peacock in India. But, since white peacocks are bred in captivity, they are now available everywhere.
There are three species of peacocks (peafowl) found majorly. They are different because their principal colors are different. The three species are:
- Indian peafowl which is predominantly blue
- Green peafowl that belongs to Southeast Asia, This has got more of green than of other colours
- Congo peafowl in which the males are different from the females. The male are predominantly black and brown and the females are brown
By nature, peacocks inhabit woodlands and forests. However, they are able to adjust well to new surroundings and also to captivity. The places that can boast of peacocks are India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and the Congo Basin.
The actual name of what we call peacocks is peafowl. This is the original name of both the male and the female peacocks. But, we have got used to calling both genders by the name of peacocks. We should be calling female peafowl by the name of peahens.
Is the peahen more attractive than the peacock? In reality, no. The peacock is much more gorgeous than the peahen. Peacocks have intricate tail feathers and are much more colorful than peahens.
What Do Peacocks Symbolize ?
The value that peacocks carry is different for different religions. They symbolize different things for different people. The peacocks carry a lot more value than the white peacock.
The beauty and the value of the peacock have made it the national bird of India. It actually stands for the succession of temporal cycles in Hindu cosmology. There is a story behind how the peacock was created in Hinduism. There is the story of a huge bird called Garuda in Hinduism. This gigantic, royal bird had the great responsibility of carrying lord Vishnu on its back. According to mythical stories, the peacock originated from just one feather of this wonderful bird. The peacock is a bird of great importance in the Hindu faith.
The image of the peacock in Persia and Babylonia is completely different. Here, it is considered as the protector of royalty.
With the Yazidi, the peacock assumes a different figure. They believe that the peacock is the “peacock angel’. They respect it as the primary image of their beliefs and also as the altruistic angel and as the personification of God.
It is very different from Christianity in which the eyes in the peacock feathers gain importance. They represent the omnipresent Christian God.
How do the Ashkenazi Jews view the peacock? To them, the golden peacock is very significant and is representative of delight and resourcefulness.
Does White Peacocks Brings Auspicious ?
Peacocks occupy a very special place in some countries. They are considered to bring a lot of luck. In India, the feathers of the peacock are highly treasured and they are believed to herald wealth and affluence.
The Chinese believe that the peacock is a very good omen and that it has the ability to chase away anything vile and harmful.
