Leucistic peacock at the Tbilisi Zoo

At the Tbilisi Zoo in Georgia there are a number of peacocks and peahens, including a white peacock – a leucistic peacock.

The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is originally from India and Sri Lanka. The peacock (male) has iridescent green and blue plumage while the peahen (female) is not as colourful – mainly grey, brown, and green. Both males and females have a crest on top of their heads (which looks like a crown).

The peacock displays his covert feathers (top feathers that cover other feathers) when attracting a female. The Congo peacock (from Africa) does not.

Leucistic peacocks are white all over. It is a genetic mutation called leucism which causes a reduction of colour pigmenation. The difference between leucistic peacocks and albino peacocks is the colour of their eyes. Albinos peacocks (and all albino animals) have pink eyes. Leucistic peacocks have blue eyes. Leucistic peachicks are born yellow and become fully white when they mature.

MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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