Blue Andalusian
A Spanish chicken breed with blue-laced plumage created in England.
The Blue Andalusian, also called the Andaluza Azul, is a chicken breed native to Spain’s Andalusia region, specifically the countryside of Córdoba and Seville, with its heartland in the Utrera area. In 2009, Spain’s population was estimated at 10,000 birds. A distinct, more intensely blue variety with laced plumage was later developed in England through selective breeding and crossbreeding of imported Andalusian birds.
Little is known about the breed’s early history. Blue chickens from Andalusia reached England by 1851 at the latest. The creation of the international blue-laced type is credited to English breeders, possibly working in either Andalusia or Britain. Two key figures—a Mr. Coles of Fareham, Hampshire, and John Taylor of Shepherd’s Bush, London—are thought to have started the lengthy process. Andalusians were exhibited at Baker Street in January 1853, but were not included in William Bernhard Tegetmeier’s original Standard of Excellence in 1865. The birds arrived in the United States during the 1850s and appeared in the first American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection in 1874. They reached South America in 1870 and Germany in 1872. A bantam version was created in the 1880s by Augusta Legge, Countess of Dartmouth.
Spain’s Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación officially recognized the Andaluza Azul in 2007. The breed association, Asociación Española de Criadores de Gallinas de Raza Andaluza Azul, was recognized by the Junta de Andalucía in 2015 as the breed’s official representative, and a standard and breeding program were approved the following year. The FAO listed the breed as “at risk” in 2007. By 2025, the worldwide population was estimated at 623 birds across six countries, with only three reporting data; its status remained “at risk” in those nations. In Germany, it was listed as “extremely endangered” on the Rote Liste, and in the UK, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust classified it as “priority.”
The slate-blue plumage results from a dilution gene working with the black-plumage E gene to partially dilute melanin. Not all Andalusians are blue: birds with two copies of the dilution gene appear off-white, those with none are black, and those with one copy are blue. Blue birds occur twice as often as each other color in Mendelian proportions, and all three colors exist in the population. The earlobes are smooth, white, and al
- Origin
- Andalusia, Spain
- Recognized in Spain
- 2007
- Breed association recognized
- 2015
- Conservation status (2007)
- At risk
- Population in Spain (2009)
- 10000
- Worldwide population (2025)
- 623 birds in six countries
- Eggs per year
- About 165 white eggs
Lore & Background
There is little information on the early history of the Andalusian. Blue chickens from Andalusia were imported to England no later than 1851. The creation of the 'international' type of Andalusian, with blue-laced plumage, is attributed to the English, whether in Andalusia or in Britain. Two breeders in particular are thought to have started this process, which took many years: one named Coles, from Fareham in Hampshire, and a certain John Taylor of Shepherd's Bush in west London. Andalusians were shown at Baker Street in January 1853; the breed was not included in the original Standard of Excellence of William Bernhard Tegetmeier in 1865.
The birds reached the United States in the 1850s, and were included in the first edition of the Standard of Perfection of the American Poultry Association in 1874. The breed arrived in South America in 1870, and reached Germany in 1872. A bantam was created in the 1880s by Augusta Legge, countess of Dartmouth. The Andaluza Azul was officially recognised by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, the Spanish ministry of agriculture, in 2007. A breed association – the Asociación Española de Criadores de Gallinas de Raza Andaluza Azul – was recognised by the Junta de Andalucía in 2015 as the official representative of the breed, and a breed standard and breeding programme were approved in the following year.
Reader's Guide
The Blue Andalusian holds significance as a dual heritage breed, representing both the indigenous poultry of Andalusia and the result of English selective breeding that created the blue-laced variety. Its conservation status has been precarious: listed as 'at risk' by the FAO in 2007, with a Spanish population of about 10,000 birds in 2009, but by 2025 the worldwide population had plummeted to only 623 birds across six countries. In Germany it is classified as 'extremely endangered', and in the United Kingdom it is listed as 'priority' by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The breed's genetics are notable: the slate-blue plumage results from a dilution gene interacting with the black-plumage gene, producing blue, black, and off-white birds in Mendelian proportions. The Andaluza Azul hens lay about 165 white eggs per year, with eggs weighing 70–80 g. The breed's official recognition in Spain in 2007 and the establishment of a breed association in 2015 represent efforts to preserve this historically important fowl, which has been exported worldwide since the mid-19th century.
Did You Know?
- The blue-laced plumage of the international type was created in England, not Spain.
- Blue birds occur twice as often as black or off-white birds due to Mendelian genetics.
- The breed's conservation status in Germany is 'extremely endangered'.
- A bantam version was created in the 1880s by Augusta Legge, countess of Dartmouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Blue Andalusian?
The Blue Andalusian (Andaluza Azul) is a Spanish chicken breed originating in the countryside around Córdoba, Seville, and Utrera in Andalusia. It is recognized for its distinctive blue-laced plumage, though a more intensely blue, laced variety was later refined through selective breeding in England.
Why is the Blue Andalusian on the RBST watchlist?
The breed was classified as at risk in 2007, and by 2025 only about 623 birds remain spread across six countries worldwide. Its tiny global population is what places it on the conservation watchlist alongside other rare breeds.
How did the Blue Andalusian end up in England?
Blue chickens from Andalusia had reached England no later than 1851, though little is documented about the exact route of their arrival. English breeders then used those imported birds to selectively develop the more vividly blue, laced type now associated with the breed internationally.
When was the Blue Andalusian officially recognized?
Spain granted the breed its formal recognition in 2007, and a dedicated breed association received its own recognition in 2015. These milestones helped standardize the breed's description and kick-start conservation efforts.
How many Blue Andalusians existed in Spain in the late 2000s?
By 2009 the Spanish population was estimated at roughly 10,000 birds, concentrated in the Utrera heartland of Andalusia. That figure, while modest, was still far larger than the 623-bird worldwide count recorded by 2025.
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