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The Junglefowl is an
interesting bird that most people would be curious to know more
about. The real facts. As we are dwelling with the topic of
Jungle fowls, there should be 2 situations that needs more
clearing up, instead of one. The first one:-
Origin of our domesticated
chickens
The species that we get to
see in Malaysia has the common name of Red Jungle Fowl or
species Gallus gallus. This bird is a tropical member of the
Pheasant family. The Red Junglefowl is one the 4 birds of its
kind and the other three members of the genus are the Sri Lanka
Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii), Grey Junglefowl (Gallus
sonneratii), and the Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius)
Early record showed that
"chicken" was first raised in captivity at least 5,000 years ago
[in India?] The Cockerel has many characteristics similar to
that of the Red Junglefowl, suggesting that our present day
chicken could derived from the Red Junglefowl. Study has also
shown that the other 3 species do not easily produce fertile
hybrids with the Red Junglefowl. Rendering the assumption of the
Red Junglefowl being the main contributor to modern days chicken
more remote. Recent study suggests possible and more likely
hybridization with the Grey Junglefowl started the process. Then
the domesticated bird was then passed on to the rest of the
world as stable food source.
Red Jungle Fowl is found in
the North-eastern part of India [foot of the Himalayas] to
Southern China and down the Malay Peninsula. The male and female
looks entirely different.
Males measuring about 65-78
cm long [tail itself is already 28cm], could weighs about a
kilogram, are much larger bird. Main diagnostic features are the
large red fleshy wattles on the head. On the neck and shoulder,
long, bright gold and bronze feathers forming a cape over the
back of the bird. Very important too is the looks of the tail.
Its long, arching feathers appear dark but under bright lights
shines with hues of blue, purple and green.
The female's about 41-46 cm
long, weighing in at about 600 gms. She should be considered
quite colorful when compared to lots of other birds, lacks the
flamboyance of the male. Plumage more catering for camouflage.
After all she has the chores of looking after the eggs and
chicks. Again most important, she also has no wattles or crown
on the head.
Gallus gallus
is an herbivore and insectivore Red Junglefowl
- How original are they now?
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The original Red
Junglefowl in its purest form is getting very rare and
possibly be extinct. So what is found in our Malaysian
Jungle with white skin and grey legs as shown in the
picture above are still good representative.
In many sub urban
area where this wild species were seen may not be that
pure. There are subtle difference in the 2 batches of
pictures posted up. I made up the obvious which is the
yellow skin legs. But there are much more beyond this
difference. This hybrid species behavior in the wild is
identical. They can fly fairly well and good distances.
Some pointers that
I have read that what ever species that we encountered
now in the wild are birds with various degrees of back
crossing with domestic selections (breeds) of the
species. There are bird species that possess yellow skin
and legs whereas other species have white or black skin
color. Yellow or white skin is due to the presence or
absence of carotenoids. No one can tell how the cross
breeding could have taken place. It is believed that
grey skin color originates from the Grey Jungle fowl
species.
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