Charcoal
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Although it has been around for many years, an unfortunate trait during its early breeding which prevented the hens from laying has stunted the growth of this color and kept it from being officially recognized. |
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Type of mutation: Charcoal is one of the 10 color varieties of peafowl currently known. |
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Peacock Coloration: Males are a dull black in color. Like the cameos, they have a gene which prevents feather iradescence. The train is a dark grayish black color, with ocelli of varying dark shades. |
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Peahen Coloration: Hens are colored in the same pattern as India Blue hens, but are darker. They are a dark gray, with a darker charcoal neck. Like the males, they also have no iradescence on the neck. Their breast is an off white color. |
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Origin: This color was discovered in the 1980's at the Pheonix Zoo in Arizona, but still has not been recognized as an official variety by the UPA (United Peafowl Association). It is however, under consideration. During its development, charcoal hens would not lay, causing the only way for this color to be produced was by breeding charcoal males to hens split to the color. |
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Do they breed true?: Yes, Charcoal x Charcoal will breed true. |
Mature Charcoal hen, photo courtesy of Alex Ancona @ Ancona's Peafowl.
Mature Charcoal cock, photo courtesy of Alex Ancona @ Ancona's Peafowl.
