Black Shoulder Peacocks

The black shoulder peafowl was introduced to Europe in the 1800’s. However, the black shoulder peafowl is not any other bird, it’s a pattern mutation of the Indian blue peafowl found in all color types. This pattern mutation is prevalent and referred to as the dark wing pattern.

Additionally, the black shoulder peahen and Indian blue peahen are different from each other. Meanwhile, the black shoulder peacock doesn’t differ much from the Indian blue peacock. The color that appears on black shoulder peafowl is similar to Indian blue peacocks but arranged differently.

Black-shouldered peafowl are bred to Indian blue peafowl, resulting in a black-shouldered or Indian blue peafowl. When black-shouldered peachicks are born, they are light yellow along with peach or buff wings. Male peachicks will become darker than female peachicks after getting mature.

Over the first three years, the male birds lose the white coloration across their body. Moreover, the white markings on peacock tails disappear when they reach adulthood. The female birds stay in a light color, however, there might be some color variation between the peahens with some appearing more color around their neck part.

Is Black Shoulder a color mutation of Indian Blue?

The black shoulder is a pattern mutation of Indian blue peafowl, not a color mutation. Black shoulder peafowl can be seen in any color that we often see on Indian blue peafowl. However, the shoulder and wings of the black shoulder peafowl are black, unlike the wild pattern.

Variations of Black Shoulder Peacocks:

Black-shouldered peafowl comes in many other mutations. United Peafowl Association has classified so many variations of black shoulder peacocks. Here is the list of black-shouldered peafowl variations. 

• Cameo Black Shoulder
• Cameo Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Cameo Black Shoulder Pied
• Cameo Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Cameo Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Purple Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Purple Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Purple Black Shoulder 
• Purple Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Purple Black Shoulder Pied
• Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Black Shoulder Pied
• Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Charcoal Silver Pied
• Charcoal Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Charcoal Black Shoulder
• Charcoal Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Charcoal Black Shoulder Pied
• Charcoal Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Bufford Bronze Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Bufford Bronze Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Bufford Bronze Black Shoulder Pied
• Bufford Bronze Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Bufford Bronze Black Shoulder
• Midnight Black Shoulder Pied
• Midnight Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Midnight Black Shoulder
• Midnight Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Midnight Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder Pied 
• Spalding Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder
• Spalding Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Taupe Black Shoulder 
• Spalding Taupe Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Taupe Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Taupe Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Taupe Black Shoulder Pied 
• Spalding Jade Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Jade Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Jade Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Jade Black Shoulder
• Spalding Jade Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Midnight Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Midnight Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Midnight Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Midnight Black Shoulder
• Spalding Midnight Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Opal Black Shoulder 
• Spalding Opal Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Opal Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Opal Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Opal Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Peach Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Peach Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Peach Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Peach Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Peach Black Shoulder 
• Spalding Buford Bronze Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Buford Bronze Black Shoulder
• Spalding Buford Bronze Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Buford Bronze Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Buford Bronze Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Purple Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Purple Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Purple Black Shoulder 
• Spalding Purple Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Purple Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Charcoal Black Shoulder 
• Spalding Charcoal Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Charcoal Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Charcoal Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Charcoal Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Cameo Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Cameo Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Cameo Black Shoulder
• Spalding Cameo Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Cameo Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Spalding Cameo Silver Pied
• Spalding Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Spalding Black Shoulder Pied
• Spalding Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Spalding Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder Pied
• Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Sonja’s Violette Black Shoulder
• Taupe Black Shoulder Pied
• Taupe Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Taupe Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Taupe Black Shoulder
• Taupe Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Jade Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Jade Black Shoulder
• Jade Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Jade Black Shoulder Pied
• Jade Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Opal Black Shoulder Pied
• Opal Black Shoulder Silver Pied
• Opal Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Opal Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Opal Black Shoulder
• Peach Black Shoulder Pied White-Eyed
• Peach Black Shoulder Pied
• Peach Black Shoulder White-Eyed
• Peach Black Shoulder
• Peach Black Shoulder Silver Pied

The black-shouldered peacock almost looks like an Indian blue peacock. The male birds have black shoulders and plain black wings with a bluish-green sheen. They also have a darker black patch on their shoulder part. 

The black-shouldered peahen is different from the Indian blue peahen. The female birds come in white along with a rusty neck that combines with metallic green. You will also see some tan and black color on their back. Peacock colors are amazing and make them the most beautiful birds in the world.

Male & Female Differences: 

The feathers of black-shouldered peahen are brown and green while black-shouldered peacock comes with black feathers. The male bird has longer tails than a female bird. There may be some difference in their body size as well. The peacocks are longer and heavier than peahen.

The main difference between the Indian blue and the black shoulder is that the black feathers and barred buff of the Indian blue peacock are replaced with black feathers tipped in the dark blue and green in the black shoulder peacock. The other difference between the black shoulder and Indian blue peafowl is their wings. The black-shouldered peacock exists in plain black wings with a bluish-green sheen. Due to recessive genes, they get plain coloration on their wings.

The first variety that appears other than the Indian blue and green subspecies is the black shoulder. They are colorful and stunning birds like Indian blue peafowl. These birds live around 10 to 13 years in captivity while 5 to 7 years in wildlife. Additionally, the adult black shoulder peahen weighs 5 to 7 pounds, and adult male birds weigh around 8 to 10 pounds.