This particular guide will deal mainly with the peacock tail.  Peacock, turkey and chicken feathers I sell are from my poultry therefore I will use them for description in this guide.  I make reference to eagle, hawk, owl, immature eagle, and simulated eagle when describing my feathers.  It is not legal to own, use or sell eagle feathers.  Eagle is a description often used to show the similarity or likeness of peafowl feathers to the different types or ages of eagles.

My feather sources are my own birds.  I sell feathers from my peafowl (both peacock and peahen).  Also selling from my Royal Palm Turkeys.  My small flock of Cochin bantams help out in the feather department also.

The banties are my electricity free, natural incubators for the peacock chicks.  They are little, fiercely loyal to their babies, adopted or natural.  They are superior to incubation and brooding skills far outshine machines made for these purposes.

There are several species of peafowl, and numerous color patterns.  I will explain feathers from my own birds as these are what I know well enough to describe.

Everybody knows of the beautiful tail feathers which contain the eye, fern and butterfly types.  Eye feathers appear to have the image of a desplaying peacock in the center of this feather, the eye.  Look closely at an eye feather you have purchased from me, or from pictures if same.

Fern feathers are often called sword feathers.  They are iridescent, as are most tail feathers.  They are minty to forest green.  This is the feather that brushes the ground when the male displays.  They flank the cluster of eye feathers.

Butterfly feathers are a little taller than the eye feathers and they also protect those feathers from damage and sweeping scrapes during desplays, foraging or fighting with other males.

Tail feathers can range from 6" to 50" or more.  The smaller feathers are higher up the tail towards the body, and therefore smaller in eye size, but no less beautiful.  Many crafters want the smaller feathers for decorating their wares.  The tall eye feathers, with the fern and butterfly included, make spectacular arrangements.  Shorter bunches of plumage are great for centerpieces.