Class:
Aves
Family:
Phasianidae
Common Name:
Red Junglefowl
Genus:
Gallus
Species Name:
gallus
About The Red Junglefowl
Red junglefowl are the wild ancestors of all domestic poultry (3), although the rooster is said to be more brilliantly colored than its tame relative (4). The vibrant male has long, golden-orange to deep-red crown and neck feathers, and a dark metallic-green tail with a white tuft at the base. The underparts are a dull black while the upperparts are a combination of glossy blue-green, rich dark red, maroon-red, fiery orange, rufous and blackish brown (3). The colourful cock also has vivid scarlet-red facial skin, throat, two lappets and heavily dented fleshy crest (comb), and red or white ear patches on the sides of the head (3) (4) (5). The rather drab female is a dull brown-gold colour (6) with a partly naked, pale red face and throat (3). After the summer moult, from June to September, the male develops an 'eclipse plumage', in which the golden neck feathers (hackles) are replaced with dull black feathers, the long tail feathers are lost, and the comb reduces in size and becomes duller in colour (3) (4). With much hybridisation between pure and domestic stock, the standard criteria of pure wild junglefowl include the tail being carried horizontally in both sexes, the absence of a comb in the female, and dark or slate grey leg colour and an annual eclipse moult in the male (3) (7). There are five subspecies, which vary in the colour of the facial lappets, in the size of the combs, and in the length, colour and terminal end shape of the neck hackles of males during the breeding season (2) (8).
Rights Holder: Wildscreen
Trips Where Observed
Around The World in 66 Days
Brazil
Costa Rica
French Polynesia
Hawaii, Big Island
Hawaii, Kauai
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
Mexico to Panama
Svalbard, Canary Islands, and Spain
Member Lifelists
Africa
Asia
Australasia
Hawaii
India
Mexico
North America
South America
United States
World
Sites Where Observed
3/25/2005
The Kauai chickens are descended from chickens introduced by the original Polynesian inhabitants of the island. They are pretty easy to find just about anywhere. In Kokee State Park, the chickens would approach the car on hearing electric windows operating.
1/13/2006
A genuine wild chicken.
1/22/2006
Genuine wild version.
3/10/2007
There were some in the parking lot at Kona Harbor which may have been wild. Also near the Hilo Airport.
2/16/2010
Domesticated version
7/15/2010
There were several seen in the forest near Belvidere (no houses nearby)
3/26/2015
Domestic chickens.