Buford Bronze, or just Bronze, is a color mutation of the India Blue peafowl (Pavo cristatus). This Buford Bronze peafowl pair is similar to a Cameo pair, only darker. The color is named after the man who first worked on this mutation in the 1980s — the late Buford Abbolt of Marysville, Tennessee. Bronze is a single-expression, autosomal recessive color.

A pair consists of one mature male, or peacock, and one mature female, or peahen. This mutation replaces the blue plumage color with chocolate brown. The purples and blues shift to shades of brown and gold. The chocolate brown peachicks have darker down than most other varieties.

Only the peacock has a train, which consists of long tail coverts he displays while courting. The eyes, or ocelli, of a Bronze train are various shades of dark brown.

Housing Peafowl

Fully enclose the Buford Bronze aviary to keep the birds in and to protect them from predators. Provide the following minimum features:

• 10 x 20 feet per pair
• 7 feet tall
• Plenty of brushy cover
• Shady spots
• 2 x 4 foot roosts, 4+ feet above ground
• Nesting material on the ground

Feeding Peafowl

Feed your Buford Bronze peafowl pair a gamebird maintenance ration, or the similar turkey maintenance ration. During breeding season, switch to gamebird layer or turkey layer ration.

Place the watering station directly on the ground, rather than hanging it, since flying peafowl can tangle in a hanging drinker. Provide a free-choice oyster shell supplement for strong egg shells. Occasional treats may include mealworms, sunflower seeds, and leafy greens.

Peafowl Behavior

Your Buford Bronze peafowl pair will spend their mornings foraging. During a midday they’ll take a break, during which they drink water, preen, and rest. When the temperature starts to cool in late afternoon, they’ll forage again before roosting for the night.

During breeding season, the male performs elaborate courtship displays. He’ll attract the female by fanning out his tail and shaking the tail feathers to create a rustling sound.

Peafowl Size

Breeding Peafowl

Buford Bronze bred to Buford Bronze breed true. The chicks will grow up looking just like the parents. Key breeding points:

• Sexual maturity: 2-3 years
• Eggs per clutch: 3-8
• Color of eggs: light brown
• Incubation period: 28-30 days

Peafowl Health

Buford Bronze peafowl rarely have health issues. A well-cared for Buford Bronze peafowl pair will live 20 years or more.

If the peafowl free range, deworming every three months will control internal parasites. The most common dewormer for peafowl is Piperazine, although Ivermectin or Fenbendazole are also used.

Peafowl Permits

Permits for owning exotic birds vary from state to state, by county within the state, and sometimes even by city. Local ordinances often dictate what and how many peafowl may be kept on residential properties, enclosure type, setback distances, and noise control.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big are Buford Bronze peafowl?

They are about the size of a turkey.

Are peafowl related to turkeys?

Yes. Peafowl and turkeys are both members of the Phasianidae family.

Are peafowl noisy?

Yes. Mature peacocks can emit a piercing scream, day or night. Peahens, however, make a variety of pleasant, chatty sounds.

Why do peacocks scream at night?

Peacocks scream to announce their territory, to attract mates, and alert to danger.

Are Buford Bronze peafowl rare?

Yes. Other than the original (wild type) India Blue peafowl, most color mutations are quite rare.

How many peafowl color mutations are there?

In addition to the colors of the two main species (India Blue and Java Green), to date there are 9 color mutations.

For More Information

Raising Peafowl — 6 Pros and 6 Cons

Raising Peafowl — 6 Tips

Keeping Peafowl, Do’s and Don’ts

Let’s Get Started Raising Peafowl

If you prefer peachicks, assorted peafowl chicks are also available from Cackle Hatchery®.