Hello! We are very beautiful and attractive big birds called White Peafowls. You must be knowing us being blue and other colors.
Have a look at some interesting points that would tell you why we are white and also some other facts:
- The fact is, it is unknown how we got our whiteness. The first one of us was discovered in 1830 and it was a blackshoulder version of us.
- There is a theory that for being in the safety of captivity, the recessive coloration genes have emerged in regular peafowls to make us white.
- There are three types of white peafowls; white, pied-white, and blackshoulder.
- We are attractive birds and we are well known for our long tail feathers.
- Do you want us to open our tail wings? Well, we don’t do it often, we do it mostly in the rainy season to attract females.
- Most of you must be calling us peacocks but do you know? Males of our species are called peacocks and females are called peahens. Only males have these beautiful long tail feathers.
- Though not white feathers, but regular tails feathers of our species have high cultural importance in many parts of the world.
- We are the National Bird of India from 1963 and also, we are a part of the National symbols of India.
- There is also folklore about how we mate in India. According to the folklore, the male sheds tears, and the female drink them to get pregnant.
- Our tail feather is worn on the head by Lord Krishna, according to Hindu Mythology. We are also represented in Hindu mythology as a mount (vehicle) for God of war, Lord Karthikeya, goddess of wisdom, Saraswati, and also associated with Goddess Kaumari and Goddess Santoshi.
- In India, we are culturally and traditional inspiration for many artworks and designs.
- The Mauryan empire started by Chandragupta Maurya has our name in his name. We are called “maur” in Hindi.
- In Sri Lanka and Burma, we are third zodiac signs. We are believed to have drunken a poison and survive which made us immune to all kinds of poison.
- In the Persian empire, we are looked at as royalty. Melek Taus is a peacock angel in Yazidi belief.
- Ancient Greeks believed that our skin did not decay, and we are a symbol of immortality. We are also believed to be chariot pullers of Goddess Hera.
- We are also present in religious beliefs. In Christianity, several paintings and mosaics depicted us.
- Among Ashkenazi Jews, we were symbols of joy and creativity.
SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT US:
Our Scientific Name: Pavo Cristatus.
Identification: White-colored Peafowls with blue eyes.
Our Habitat: in various zoos and aviaries around the world.
We mostly live in:
Food Habits: Omnivorous; feed mainly on seeds, insects, fruits, small mammals, small snakes and reptiles.
Breeding Period: June to Spetember.
Number of eggs laid: 4-8 eggs.
Incubation period: about 28 days.
Lifespan: about 25 years
IUCN red list status: Least Concern.
CITES: Not listed.
Indian Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule I.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Pavo
Species: P. cristatus
More Information for WildLife Enthusiasts:
We are beautiful white colored peafowls that are not found in the wild. Let us tell you more about our species.
White Peafowls are scientifically called as Pavo Cristatus.
HOW WE LOOK:
Males of our species are called Peacock sand the females are called Peahens. Males have a length of about 100cm-115cm and weigh about 4kg-6kg while peahens are small, having a length of about 95 cm and weighing about 2.75kg – 4kg. Only the peacocks have the train of long feathers with eyespots and the length of these feathers is about 195cm – 225 cm.
Unlike regular peafowls, we are completely white in color. Our eyes are blue in color. We are available in three types of white color i.e. white, pied white and blackshoulder white.
Though why we are white is not exactly known, there is a theory that says we are white due to a recessive coloration gene which helped us stay safe in captivity.
WE ARE FOUND IN:
We are not found in the wild. We are found in various aviaries and zoos across the world.
WHAT WE EAT:
We are omnivorous birds and eat seeds, insects, fruits, small mammals, and reptiles. We also feed on small snakes.
OUR REPRODUCTION:
In captivity, we normally live in groups of male and 3-5 females but after breeding season only female and young ones live together. To attract a female, the male produces loud calls and also display its train of feathers by opening and spreading it thus creating a beautiful sight.
The breeding season is during the rainy season (June to September). Peahen makes a nest with leaves, sticks, and debris and lays about 4-8 eggs. The peahen incubates these eggs and they take about 28 days to hatch.
The young peafowls are fed by its mother and gain their sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age. We can live up to 25 years of age.
MORE ABOUT US:
Peafowls, especially peacocks are known for their train of feathers. They display a beautiful arrangement of these feathers.
We are one of the heavy birds and are a powerful predator for the small prey.
Our calls or shouts are of different types indicating danger and mating calls. Its frequency increases before the monsoon.
OUR CONSERVATION:
As regular peafowls, we are listed under “least concern” in the IUCN red list. We are abundantly found in several zoos and aviaries mostly in India and also across the world. In India, we are also protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
