JUNGLEFOWL
Junglefowl are native to South and Southeast Asia, particularly the jungles of India but also to Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Sumatra. They have spread all over the world as domesticated chickens. Junglefowl prefer thick secondary forest or lush belukar (a type of secondary rainforest or degraded forest that grows in areas that were previously cultivated). In the morning or evening, these birds can be found in an open areas or clearing, where they forage for food. Sometimes can be seen in oil-palm estates. [Source: Zoe Gautier, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
There are four junglefowl species: 1)Red junglefowl (Gallus, gallus, See Below), 2) Sri Lankan junglefowl, (Gallus lafayettii), found in Sri Lanka; 3) grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii), found in India in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, south Rajasthan, and Pakistani Punjab; and 4) green junglefowl (Gallus varius), found in Java, Bali, Lombok, Komodo, Flores, Rinca, and small islands between Java with Flores. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies all of them as a species of “Least Concern”. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they have no special status. [Source: Wikipedia]
Junglefowl belong to the genus Gallus in the bird order Galliformes. Red junglefowl are the direct ancestor of domestic chickens, although the grey junglefowl, Sri Lankan junglefowl and green junglefowl were probably involved too. The Sri Lankan junglefowl is the national bird of Sri Lanka. They diverged from their common ancestor about 4–6 million years ago.
Junglefowl are the only birds with combs, the fleshy growth on their heads. Junglefowl are herbivores (primarily eat plants or plants parts), and insectivores (eat insects). They generally eat seeds, insects and worms; and can fly several meters to make an escape. Large roosters may weigh as much as three kilograms ( 6.6 pounds), a large hen, 2.3 kilograms ( 5 pounds),
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Red Junglefowl
Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) are one of the four species of junglefowl and are regarded as the primary ancestor of domestic chickens. They are found in India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, southern China, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia. There are five subspecies: 1) G. g. bankiva (Temminck, 1813); 2) G. g. gallus (Linnaeus, 1758); 3) G. g. jabouillei (Delacour & Kinnear, 1928); 4) G. g. murghi (Robinson & Kloss, 1920)and 5) G. g. spadiceus (Bonnaterre, 1792). [Source: Wikipedia]
Red junglefowl live in mountain forests, bamboo woods, bushes and grass slopes. They are much smaller than domestic chickens. The length of male birds is 70 centimeters (27.5 inches); females, 40 centimeters (15.7 inches). The average weight for female is around one kilograms (2.25 pounds); the average weight for males is 1.5 kilograms (3.25 pounds). Junglefowl are also behaviourally different from domestic chickens, being naturally very shy of humans.
Red junglefowl get food with their bill or peck after scratching with claws and eat different kinds of seeds and grains found on the ground, fruits, ants, termites, corn, soybeans, worms and grass . They cannot detect sweet tastes. They can detect salt, but most red junglefowl do not like it. [Source: Zoe Gautier, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Junglefowl and Domesticated Chickens
Domestic chickens are believed to have originated from a continental population of junglefowl. Chickens were first domesticated from the red jungle cock about 5,000 years ago, apparently as much for the production of fighting cocks as meat and eggs. Male jungle cocks look just like conventional roosters. Junglefowl chicks sometimes have coloring similar to chipmunks, which is ideal camouflage.
The junglefowl adapted easily to domestication. They became a dual-purpose bird. They produced eggs. When the bird grew to old to lay they could be killed for their meat. And of course they also provided cocks for fighting. Some have speculated that people may have first kept chickens for this symbolic connection with the dawn. In ancient India priests sacrificed chickens to the god of the sun. Other early Asian societies bred the birds for cockfighting.
Chickens are easy animals to take care of as they can find food for themselves. They are raised primarily for eggs and meat production but also used for cock fighting. Their feathers have been used for pillows and mattresses.
Although originating in Asia, remains of junglefowl bones have also been found in regions of Chile, which date back to 1321–1407 CE, providing evidence of possible Polynesian migration through the Pacific Ocean. [Source: Wikipedia]
Its is hard to find genetically pure red junglefowl. They have mostly interbred with domestic and feral chickens a survey of 745 museum specimens has shown. One sign of a pure wild junglefowl genotype among males is eclipse plumage. This plumage has been seen only in populations in the western and central of the species' geographic range. It is believed that pure junglefowl have disappeared from extreme south-eastern Asia and the Phillippines. In the 1960s, studies in northeastern India revealed a population of red junglefowl exhibiting the eclipse plumage. The purity of the species is in danger because of the region's dense human population, whose domestic chickens could continue to contaminate junglefowl genetically.
Galliformes — Chicken-Like Birds
Junglefowl and chickens belong to the same family of birds —Galliformes — as quails, partridges, pheasants, megapodes, curassows and their relatives. Galliformes is a large and diverse group comprising about 70 genera and more than 250 species. Taxa within Galliformes are commonly referred to as 'gallinaceous birds' (meaning chicken-like) or game birds (as many species are hunted). [Source: Laura Howard, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
There is much ongoing discussion about the number of recognized families within Galliformes. Howard and Moore’s Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World (2003) lists: Megapodiidae (scrub fowl, brush-turkeys, mallee fowl), Cracidae (guans, chachalacas, curassows), Numididae (Guineafowl), Odontophoridae (New World quails) and Phasianidae (grouse, turkeys, pheasants and partridges).
Laura Howard wrote in Animal Diversity Web: Gallinaceous birds are chicken-like in appearance, with small to large bodies and blunt-wings. Plumage coloration ranges from cryptic to dark to brightly colorful. Some gallinaceous birds have elaborate head and neck ornamentation including wattles and casques. Some are primarily arboreal (live mainly in trees), and others are terrestrial. Social groups may range from solitary dwellers to mated pairs to gregarious flocks. mating systems range from monogamy to polygyny to polygynandry. Megapodes, also known as mound builders, bury their eggs, which are incubated by heat from decaying vegetation, sun-warmed sand, or geothermal sources. Cracids may play an important role in the forest ecosystem as seed predators and dispersers. Some phasianoid galliforms have been domesticated and are kept as ornamentals or are bred and raised for human consumption.
Junglefowl Characteristics
Junglefowl are ground-dwelling birds. They spend most of their time searching for food by kicking their feet backwards and seeing what fruit, seeds and insects turn up. "Junglefowl roosters cry “cock-a-doodle-doo” to herald the sunrise. Their cock a doodle do is a high pitched, slightly strangulated version of the crow that modern roosters produce.
Junglefowl have combs and wattles like chickens. Females usually select males with the largest combs and wattles to mate with. Junglefowl attacked by round worms usually have smaller combs and wattles that non-infected birds.
Junglefowl have an average weight is 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds). Junglefowl rooster tails can be almost 28 centimeter (11 inches) in length. They are endothermic (use their metabolism to generate heat and regulate body temperature independent of the temperatures around them). Their average basal metabolic rate is 6.005 watts. Junglefowl can live up to ten years in the wild. They have lived up to 30 years in captivity. Molting (taking off old feathers and putting new ones) for an adult takes about three to four months every year.[Source: Zoe Gautier, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Junglefowl plumage can be red, brown, gold, dark maroon, orange, with some metallic green and gray. There are also some white and olive feathers. Two white patches, shaped like an ear, appear on either side of the head. Junglefowl can be distinguished from chickens not only by these white patches, but also by their grayish feet.
Red junglefowl can measure up to 70 centimeters (27.5 inches) in length. They have a total of fourteen tail feathers. The red junglefowl rooster is said to be more brilliantly colored that its tame relative. During June to October, junglefowl moult into an eclipse plumage. An eclipse plumage is, for male, black long feather across the middle of his back and slender red-orange plumes on the rest of his body. For a female, an eclipse plumage cannot be distiguished, but she does moult. The female red junglefowl is leaner than tame hens.
Junglefowl Behavior
Junglefowl are motile (move around as opposed to being stationary), are good at running and are extremely vigilant. Resident birds tend to stick to a particular area. They sense using vision, touch, sound and chemicals usually detected with smell. The memory of the red junglefowl is very short. [Source: Zoe Gautier, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Females usually select males with the largest combs and wattles to mate with. Junglefowl attacked by round worms usually have smaller combs and wattles that non-infected birds and consequently have a hard time getting a mate. Red combs of roosters contain relatively large amounts of the sugar molecule hylauronan, which some predict will be the next botox-like anti-wrinkle agent.
When chickens see blood or even red they peck. To keep chickens from pecking each other to death scientists have experimented with outfitting chickens with red contact lenses so they don't see red.
Junglefowl Pecking Order
The social behavior of junglefowl is not all that different from modern chickens. Junglefowl are sociable birds They live in groups with a rigid hierarchy — a pecking order. In spring the cocks fight for territory to share with their hens, then protect them while the hens incubate their eggs and rear their chicks." Junglefowl chicks have coloring similar to chipmunks.
Females have a defined pecking order, which determines who eats and drinks first. Males control harem-like flocks, which they jealously defend. A rooster show his interests in a hen by spreading his wings and helping her find a nesting site. Chicks break out their shells after 21 days and are up around in a few hours.
Withing the junglefowl there is one dominating all, and one submitting to all. There is one pecking order for female and one for male. According to Animal Diversity Web: The physical action for dominace is to raise the tail and head. Submission is shown when a junglefowl lowers his tail and head, crouches, and tilts the head to one side. Hens feed safely under the protection of the dominating cock. In order to fight, hens need to go at least ten feet from the dominating cock. When a dominating cock dies, the next higher cock in the pecking order takes charge immediately. The pecking order is introduced to chicks when they are just a week old. An order is accomplished in about seven weeks. The dominating cock's sphere of influence is about sixty to seventy feet. [Source: Zoe Gautier, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Junglefowl Mating, Reproduction and Offspring
The breeding season of the red junglfowl is spring and summer. Red junglefowls often spend their time in small groups. During mating the season, they utter sounds like domesticated roosters but the sound at the end of their call stops suddenly. When competing for females during the mating season, male red junglefowls often fight with one another.
Chicks begin their lives in the warmth of summer. An egg is laid each day. For twenty-one days before hatching, the chicks develop inside the egg. According to Animal Diversity Web: On the first day, the heart and blood vessels of the chick develop and start to work. At the end of the first day, the head starts to take shape. By the fourth day, all organs of the future chick are present. On the fifth day, external sex structure developed. By the thirteenth day, the skeleton begins to calcify using the calcium from the eggshell. From the time when the egg is laid until hatching, the chick feeds on the yolk that surrounds him. The yolk penetrate in the chick body by the umbilicus. On the twenty-first day, the chick, now fully developed, starts to break through his thin shell. This action can take anywhere from ten to twenty hours. [Source: Zoe Gautier, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
By four to five weeks of age, the chicks are normally fully feathered. Their first adult wings' feather will take another four weeks to grow. When the chicks are twelve weeks old, the mother chases them out of the group. They will then go on to form their own group or join another. At five months old, the chicks reach sexual maturity. The females reach sexual maturity a little later than the males. /=\
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons
Text Sources: Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org ; National Geographic, Live Science, Natural History magazine, David Attenborough books, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Discover magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Wikipedia, The Guardian, Top Secret Animal Attack Files website and various books and other publications.
Last updated February 2025