Albino Peacocks

A white, or albino, peacock is a genetic variant of the Indian Blue peacock. The albino peacock is white rather than the typical array of bright and vibrant colors because they are missing certain pigments that colorful peacocks possess. Moreover the color of a peacock (or any bird for that matter) depends on the pigment and structure of the feathers that are equally important in determining the peacock's physical appearance. While melanins, carotenoids and porphyrines determine the bird's pigmentation, the structure of the peacocks feathers and the lamallae or thin plate layers of the peacock's feathers that behave like a prism and split the light of the peacock's colors.

Here are some more pictures of the albino peacock:

Sources: Treehuger

Peacock Taxonomy & Evolutionary Background

Peacocks, belonging to the Gillaformes order, are close relatives of pheasants, quail, turkey and Guinea fowl. Furthermore, many may ponder the evolutionary significance of how peacocks developed such long and colorful tails. According to Darwin's theory on sexual selection, peacocks developed their intricate tails in order to attract surrounding peafowl and indicate they are a healthy match. Results from various experiments have actually showed that peacocks with the largest tails and more plentiful eyespots have a better chance at survival than those who don't. Finally there is also a downside to having such a large train of feathers to the point where it could come burdensome at times. If a peacocks tail is too big then it could be difficult to move around and could also potentially attract even more predators. But alas, according to Darwin's theory of sexual selection, these peacocks too will die off leaving those with the the perfect sized trains more likely to survive. 

Kingdom: Animalia

Pylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Gillaformes

Family: Phasianidae

Genera: Pavo

Species: Cristatus 

Sources: NZBirds & PBS

Peacock Reproductive/Mating Behavior

Peacocks reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 once their colorful feathers have fully grown to attract the opposite sex. Peacock breeding season typically lasts for about 5 months through some of the warmest months of the year, usually April through August. Peacocks strive to reproduce when the climate is relatively warm though the exact months will vary depending on the peacocks geographical location. The peacock attracts the opposite sex by spreading and shaking their multi-colored feathers through a mating dance. Furthermore in practicing this dance the peacock lets out a powerfully loud mating call  while facing his potential mating partner. If the peafowl is interested, she will allow the peacock to mount her and engage in further reproductive behavior. 

Sources: eHow

Here's a video where you can both see and hear a peacock's mating behavior: 

Eating Habits & Foraging Behavior

                         

Male peafowl or peacocks are omnivores (they eat both plats and meat) and are not finicky eaters in the slightest.  These birds consume a number of different things including anything from seeds, berries, grains and parts of plants to small reptiles, insects and even mammals. These items are considered a part of a peacocks natural diet and when in lush environments they have no trouble finding a plateful amount of plants from day to day. Furthermore because peacocks can both see and hear well, they use these senses in particular to spot and catch their prey fast and efficiently. Another way peacocks are infamous for gathering food is though mooching and scavenging. Because peacocks are omnivores it seems that farms are the perfect place to scavenge where they easily remember food locations they can come back to. Finally, peacocks in captivity have a different diet consisting of mainly of grains, various fruits, boiled egg, nuts, vitamins, bird mashes and food pellets that are developed to provide the peacocks with a balanced and plentiful diet that they would have otherwise received in their natural environment. Although peacocks find food both on the ground as well as up in trees, a majority of their time is spent on ground level and therefore consume most of what the ground has to offer.

Sources: eHow

This is a picture my mother took of our family peacock in May 1985, about than six years before I was born! Ever since I was little my family was always into animals (especially birds). I grew up with peacocks and geese running around our backyard in northern California until the age of 3. I have chosen to post this picture on my blog because this peacock is the reason why I chose to do my blog on peacocks in the first place. Like the old man in the YouTube video included in my previous blog post, I believe that while peacocks are loud animals they are indeed beautiful and worthy of praise. Peacock feathers have always been around my house growing up. These birds have always captivated and interested me immensely for a long time now. Moreover with this blog I strive to learn more about their origin and unique behaviors.

Have any one of you also owned a peacock when growing up? I know professor Blaser had one as well!

Peacocks: Beauty or Nuisance?

After looking through a number of documentaries and informational videos on YouTube regarding the peacock, I came across many that asked this exact question. For the peacocks that have been taken out of their natural habitat and placed in residential areas, many have had to ask themselves whether these vivaciously colored birds are overwhelmingly beautiful creatures or nuisances to to the neighborhood. As the video explains, the peacocks in Palos Verdes, California are not native to the area and were in fact brought over in 1924 from the Catalina Island as a gift from the island's owners. While there are a few residents that see the animal as aesthetically pleasing and as an animal they can enjoy living amongst, a majority of PV's residents see the bird as annoying, loud and intrusive. I myself am more partial to the side that sees the beauty of the Peacock not only because I am a lover of all animals, but also because I grew up with a Peacock until the age of 3. Which side do you guys think you would be on? Do you think the drivers who at times run over the peacocks are justified when they say they are "just birds"? What could be done to create peace between the angry residents and the peacocks that live in PV?