The White Peacock is a very unique and rare bird. The uniqueness is brought about by its extraordinary colors and its uniquely shaped but beautiful feathers. The white peacock is not different from the common peacocks, only that its feathers are white in color. The shaping and every other aspect of its feathers are the same as that of the rest. The peacock fans out its train to display its feathers, displaying a cloud of white feathers. This white feature in the white peacocks is a beautiful trait among other species of birds.
It is common to find a white species among many animals, but that does not mean that the white peacock is an albino. The albinos are the animal’s birds that have a complete lack of color, and they consist of red or pink eyes, and their skins are usually very pale. On the other hand, the white peafowls have colored skin, and the eyes are blue in color.
The white peafowls have a genetic mutation that is popularly known as leucism. These conditions cause the inability of the pigment to be deposited into their feather, which in turn causes this white appearance. Although in most cases, these conditions cause other animals to be different and tame in some animals, the case of the peafowls is different since the bird behaves and appears to be the same as the rest and will kick and peck anyone who tries to handle it.
Facts about white peacocks
It is difficult not to notice the beauty of a peacock, especially when it spreads out its tail. The glamorous white colors will blow you away in amazement. The peafowls are among the most beautiful birds in the whole world. They are of different species ranging from Indian fowl, white peafowls, green peafowls, and Congo peafowls.
- The white peacock is not Albino: The white peacock is a beautiful species that the Indians have domesticated, but it is born all-white due to genetic variation. This, however, does not mean the birds are albino since the albino birds have a complete lack of color and are usually with pink and red eyes, which is not the case with white peafowls.
The white peacocks have colored skin with blue eyes. The peachicks are yellow-bodied in color, but as they age, they turn to white.
- Male peafowls have a more attractive appearance: When you compare a male peafowl to a white peahen, it is clear that the male is more attractive. The white peahen has a shorter tail as compared to the white peacock. This is why the male plays a bigger role in a marriage since they are colorful among the two. The male has the task of showing off and try to lure the females by getting their attention. This happens during the mating season when the male starts dancing and flapping its beautiful tail to attract the peahens, which then choose the most beautiful and skillful white peacock.
- The tail of the White peacock grows after two years: It is only the male that enjoys having a beautiful long tail. However, this tail takes approximately two years to grow to its maximum length.
- There are beautiful crystals in their beautiful feather: Whenever you have an opportunity to see the tail of a white peacock that is flapped, you might get worried about why it is sparkling. The reason for this is because there are small crystals that cover the feathers of the white peacock. Whenever the feather tail is flapped under the sun, it will be sparkling due to the sun’s reflection.
- White Peacock Symbolism: The white peacock, in most instances, symbolizes purity and eternity. In other instances, it is used as a symbol of unconditional love.
The peacocks are the national birds in India and represent the succession of temporal cycles in Hindu cosmology. In the Hindu religion, it is believed the white peacock was created from one of the feathers of the mythical bird Garuda that was a huge majestic bird that carried lord Virshu on its back. It is also viewed as a guardian of royalty in Persia and Babylon.
In ancient Greece, the White peafowls were a symbol of immortality as they believed their flesh did not decompose even after death.
Where are the white peacocks found?
It is difficult to find a white peacock living in the wild. In most cases, they are found in moist and dry deciduous forests, but they can also adapt to live in cultivated areas where there is human habitation as long as there is w water available. You can also easily see them on farms or zoos.
In the wild, the white peacocks are at great risk of predators since the color is very bright, and this makes them more visible from a distance. This is why it is rare to find them in the forest and wild. They are mainly found in the wild reserves and nature reserves. The white peacocks in the Indian communities are mainly protected by religious beliefs, and that is why they are, in most cases, found rolling in the villages and towns.
Are white Peacocks rare?
All peafowls are generally rare types of birds. The white peacock is the most, and it is hard to find as compared to the multi-colored ones. They are the rarest species of peacocks due to the special condition of the genetic mutation called leucism.
Nesting Behavior
During the birth, the chicks are born yellow in color with white wings, but as time goes by, they turn to white in entirety. Therefore, if the white peacock is bred to white peahens, then it means all the chicks will be white, but if the white peacocks are bred with the colored peahens, the chicks will vary in color as some will be white while others have other colors.
The white peahens have a clutch of between 3 to 6 eggs which it incubates for almost a month before they hatch. The chicks take approximately three days to fly after they are hatched. However, they can only fly over a short distance. From January, the peahens start preparing a nesting place to match on the ground as they perch on the treetops. They are omnivores in nature since they feed on plants and also animals such as insects.
The actual name of the birds is the peafowls since the peacock is used to refer to the male version while the female is known as the peahen. The chicks are called peachicks. The peacocks are the most colorful compared to the [peahens. The male peafowls are larger as compared to the female.
The peacocks have very beautiful and eye-catching trains. In the case of the white peacock, the trains are dazzling white. It is at the age of 3 that the peacocks grow their showy trains. The average length of peacocks is six feet in length, and the tails make almost 60 percent of their body weight. Therefore, its train can be up to 5 feet long longer than the rest of the body.
During the mating season, the male peafowls usually fan out these feathers to display to the females and get their attention. The white peacock’s displays are as impressive as that of the colored peacocks. They shed their feathers in January in a process known as molting and regain them in June. The females do not have a train. In an effort to impress and catch the attention of the females, the male peacocks, whether white or colored they turtle and shake wings in an effort to impress them. The peacock will dance, and the peahen is the one to determine which dance was the best, and they choose the peacock to mate with. The females choose the best peacocks, which explains why you will likely see the male performing these displays in many instances to lure and impress the females around.
are White peacocks endangered?
The white peacock is one of the most endangered species of birds, and this is mainly due to the hunting of meant and feathers and the collection of eggs and chicks. Another reason why the species is endangered is due to the loss of its natural habitat, and this has left it more vulnerable than before. Despite the fact that they have been domesticated in the residential areas, the place is a nuisance due to the pollution of noise, and the space may not be adequate for it since they need enough space to move around. Human activities have created pollution and interference that becomes a nuisance and threat to the existence of the white peafowls. They are also threatened by other domesticated animals such as dogs, and this makes their lives so vulnerable.
In the wild such as forest areas, they are threatened by the predators such as foxes, wild dogs, leopards, and others, but they can escape from them by flying at the top of trees, but the deforestation has posed a threat since they no longer have a safe place to run from these attacks and bearing in mind they cannot fly over a long distance.
How much do white peacocks cost?
The white peacocks being a rare species, can be a bit costly to acquire, whether it is a chick or a fully grown one. For instance, in the US, pair can cost from a few hundred dollars to a maximum of 1500 dollars.
Are white peacocks lucky?
In some countries, the white peacocks are considered lucky. According to Hinduism believes they are believed to bring prosperity and luck in one’s life. In China, they are believed to be a good omen, and they were able to ward off evil spirits.
Is it true that peacocks don’t mate physically?
Yes, it is absolutely true that the white peacocks do not physically mate since the male peacocks have no physical sex organs to use in mating. Despite the fact that the sperm is a liquid substance still, the male peafowl does not have a physical act to represents sex but they finally complete the act without any physical acts between the male and female white peafowl.
As per the epics, the peahens still get pregnant but still, the sexual act with the peacock is not achieved by having an emotional attachment with the physical organs of the opposite sex. The female may not be attractive to the male but the male may proceed to fertilize it not because of the affection but to fulfill the natural process which is the physical sex organs contact for a long time which provokes the brain with different chemical reactions.
Why do peacocks dance in the rain?
Many people have always had a question on why the White peacocks and any other peacocks are always seen dancing in the rain. The research shows that it is one of the courtship displays to try and get the attention of the females. Every bird has its own displays that it has to perform in pursuit of a mating partner and this seems to be among the ones used by the peacocks in search of a peahen.
There is a reason why the peafowls mate mostly before the monsoons begin. Most of the previous researches has not established why this happens. When you consider the fact that the peachicks mainly feed on small worms and insects that feed on glass. These insects and worms love to thrive mostly on cool and wet climatic conditions of the soil and this is achieved mainly during the monsoons. It is during this season that they come out of the soul and start to move around and they feed and mate.
Grass grows well during the first pour of rain, thus increasing the number of insects that feed on grass. Therefore the main reason why the white peacocks mate with their female counterparts before the rains start is to make sure that the young ones are properly fed.
History
The white peafowl originated from Indian and later spread across Europe and America after the British concurred with India. It is after this particular time that the species started appearing in many areas across Europe and America. The white peafowls were first identified in 1830, and it o sot clear for how long they had been breeding in India. In some parts of the white, these peacocks are kept for delicacy purposes, and they are even displayed in plates for the guests. However, it is reported that its meat is not as tender as other common birds.
The white peacocks can be found in the wild, but this white color makes the peafowl vulnerable to predators since it is easily identifiable. However, it is believed that in most cases, this white mutation occurs in birds kept in captivity.
There are a variety of white color patterns that have appeared to the peafowls bred in captivity.
Pied white: This is a combination of both white and usual Indian blue colors.
Black shoulder pied: In this case, the coloration is normal except for the white underparts, wings, and the spot under the chin.
Black shoulder peahen: The bird appears white sprinkled with black spots.
Conclusion
The white peacocks are rare yet beautiful and extravagant species of the peafowls family. They are endangered species that need rapid attention in order to save them since they have since lost their natural habitat due to human interference. Nonetheless, the white peacock remains adorable and unique with its color, and this does not mean it is an albino bird but a genetically mutilated bird.
