Legg's Peafowl Farm

History of Silver Pied Peafowl Mutation

Genotypically, the Silver Pied males have White-Eyed feathers in the train. Phenotypically, the Silver Pied males can have pure White feathers in the train. This is because the White gene has mask the White-Eyed feather in the bird. Genotype is the genetic make-up of the feather. Phenotype, is the visual make-up of the feather.

The origin of the Silver Pied Peafowl started around 1992; Silver Pied is a pattern mutation, not a color mutation.  The color on the Silver Pied bird is the same as on a India Blue.  Silver Pied is a combination of the Pied and the White-Eyed gene working together with the White gene.  These Silver Pied birds originally showed up in three flocks, one bird from each flock,  across the United States around the same time in 1992.

When breeding the India Blue Pied White-Eyed to itself for some years its like this variety compounded itself with the white gene and then created the new pattern mutation, Silver Pied.  Essentially the Silver Pied is a White bird with 10% to 20 % color on it compared to a India Blue Pied White-Eyed bird that is a colored bird with 30% to 40 % white on it.

What seems to be the link that helped create Silver Pied were the White-Eyed peafowl, which traces back to the White peafowl. Without the White-Eyed peafowl there would not be any Silver Pied peafowl today.

Due to the extensive work by some breeders for several years, today the

Silver Pied peafowl make up the following varieties:

India Blue Silver Pied
Black Shoulder Silver Pied
Cameo Silver Pied
Cameo Black Shoulder, Silver Pied
Purple Silver Pied

Purple Black Shoulder Silver Pied
Spalding Purple Silver Pied

Bronze Silver Pied

Bronze Black Shoulder Silver Pied
Spalding Silver Pied

Spalding Black Shoulder Silver Pied
Peach Silver Pied.
Opal Silver Pied

Opal Black Shoulder Silver Pied

Charcoal Silver Pied
Midnight Silver Pied
Midnight Black Shoulder Silver Pied
Spalding Jade Silver Pied

Violete Silver Pied

Taupe Silver Pied

Taupe Black Shoulder Silver Pied

Like all pied breeding, there is varying amounts of white on the birds. Generally speaking the birds are 80% to 90% white with the other percentage being color. The mantel or top of the shoulders appear silver as the peacocks mature. The peahens are the same pattern as the males except the color on the body are silver and white. When these birds are hatched they appear white with usually a dot or two of color on the back of the head and neck area; some times a small patch of color on the back or wings. There are variances in the pattern on the chicks as well.

As with breeding any pied pattern of peafowl the ratio is 1-2-1. When breeding Silver Pied to Silver Pied you get an average of 25% white, 50 % Silver Pied, 25% Dark Pied “White-Eyed”.

It’s been 15 years since this pattern mutation came in existence. They are as popular now or even more so than in the beginning. There is more work being done to make the Silver Pied Pattern in all the new colors of peafowl. Hope this helps everyone understand the Silver Pied peafowl.

What is known today is that all three original birds trace back several generations to one bloodline, White-Eyed peafowl. The White-eyed peafowl, birds with white eyes in the train, founding breeder was Ernie West of California.

The White-eyed peafowl was later bred with the India Blue Pied, which is recognized today as India Blue Pied White-Eyed.

Of the three original birds, which were all males, some carried the Black Shoulder gene as well.

About 2 to 3 years later the Silver Pied pattern showed up in the Black Shoulder peafowl.

It was thought of how beautiful the Silver Pied pattern would look in other colors of peafowl such as Cameo or Purple.