Peacocks are renowned for their dazzling and colorful plumage, but not all of them are vibrant. White peafowl, for example, present a strikingly ethereal version of the classic peacock look, and their appearance is just as remarkable.
These white peafowl are often mistakenly referred to as albino, but they are actually leucistic. Leucism is a genetic condition that results in a partial or complete loss of pigmentation, giving them their white feathers. Unlike albinism, which causes red eyes and extremely pale skin, leucism does not affect eye color or skin pigmentation.
Albinism in peafowl is exceedingly rare and has been little studied. A 1965 study on albinism in various birds documented only 99 albino individuals across eight species, including quail, pheasants, and peafowl.
Most white peafowl have normal-colored eyes and pigmented skin. Their white feathers are the result of a leucistic mutation, which prevents the deposition of melanin in their feathers. Leucism also occurs in other animals, such as buffalo, horses, giraffes, deer, axolotls, and various bird species.
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