A pair of Opal peafowl have two-tone gray plumage with iridescence similar to that of the opal gemstone. This color mutation of India Blue peafowl (Pavo cristatus) was created in the early 1990s by David Dickerson of Delaware and Dwayne Jones of Maryland.

An Opal peafowl pair consists of a mature male, or peacock, and a mature female, or peahen. The peacock has a brownish dark green neck and head, with light brown and gray wing barring. The Opal peahen is pale gray with a white chest and some chocolate on the upper neck. Opal peachicks are pale gray.

Only the peacock has long tail coverts, called a train, which he displays during courtship. The train feathers are dark brown with eyes, or ocelli, of black, copper, and opal.

Housing Peafowl

The aviary for an Opal peafowl pair should be fully enclosed to keep them in and to protect them from predators. Additionally, it should have these minimal features:

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

Feeding Peafowl

Feed your Opal peafowl pair a gamebird maintenance ration or a turkey maintenance ration. During breeding season, feed them a gamebird layer ration or, where that’s not available, a turkey layer ration.

Place the drinker on the ground, not hanging, to prevent flying birds from getting tangled. Provide an oyster shell supplement to ensure strong egg shells. Occasional treats may include mealworms, sunflower seeds, and leafy greens.

Peafowl Behavior

An Opal peafowl pair will forage in the morning, looking on the ground for seeds, grains and insects, as well as small mammals and reptiles. As the day warms they rest in the shade, drinking water and preening. When the temperature cools they go back to foraging before they fly up to roost for the night.

During breeding season, the males perform elaborate courtship displays. They will fan out their train and shake the feathers to create a rustling sound that attracts the peahen.

Peafowl Size

Breeding Peafowl

An Opal peafowl pair reaches sexual maturity at 2 to 3 years of age. The peahen will lay between 3 and 8 light green or tan eggs before incubating them for 28 to 30 days. Opal bred to opal breeds true, resulting in peachicks that grow up to be just like their parents.

Peafowl Health

Peafowl rarely have health problems. An Opal peafowl pair will live for 20 years, or even longer when well cared for.

If the pair free ranges, though, internal parasites can be an issue. Control worms by deworming every three months. The most common dewormer is Piperazine, although Ivermectin or Fenbendazole mau also be used.

Peafowl Permits

Permits for peafowl vary by state, by county, and from city to city. Ordinances may dictate what and how many exotic birds you can keep, how you house them, setback distances, and noise abatement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can peafowl fly?

Only for short distances, usually to escape a predator or to roost high off the ground.

Are peafowl noisy?

Sometimes. The peacock lets out a loud scream during mating season, and at other times, to defend his territory, attract his mate, sound the alert of potential danger. This sound carries for long distances and may occur at any time, day or night.

How many color mutations are there in peafowl?

There are 9 color mutations, including Bronze, Cameo, Opal, and White. But aside from the wild type color, India Blue, all other peacock colors are rare.

How to identify an peafowl color?

Peafowl color is based on the color of the birds’ neck feathers.

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®.