A rare white peacock is preparing to open its tail and the show it puts on is nothing short of wonderful

by Shirley Marie Bradby

August 04, 2018

A rare white peacock is preparing to open its tail and the show it puts on is nothing short of wonderful
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As a symbol of elegance and splendor, the peacock has captivated people of all ages, who have been enraptured by its vibrant colors and its haughty gait. The males of this species possess a peculiar tail, which they open in all its glory to attract the females or even just to show off their size and splendor to their rivals. 

The color of the plumage is not derived only from simple pigmentation, but also from a structural characteristic. In factevery single feather is composed of structures that interfere with the refraction of sunlight, thereby creating the famous iridescent and luminous effect. 

In this case, however, we want to focus on a variant of the colorful peacock that we all know. Even though it is more of a rarity, it is an equally impressive and spectacular exemplary: the white peacock.

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Eric Kilby/Wikimedia

Eric Kilby/Wikimedia

The white peacock is identical to its colored relative, if not for the absolute absence of feather pigmentation. This characteristic gives it an angelic, ethereal look as if it were a creature that just stepped out of a dream. 

The white color is typical of peacocks affected by albinism, therefore characterized by the total absence of melanin; however, there are also white peacocks that are not albinos, which can be distinguished from the latter through eye color: in albinos, the eyes are pink, in non-albinos they are dark. 

But now enough with the explanations, enjoy this spectacular video that shows the full tail spread of a white peacock --- it's really worth it!

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