Red Junglefowl

Gallus gallus

Family: Partridges, Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies · Status: Common resident · Size: M:65-78 cm, F:41-46 cm · Conservation: Least Concern

Range

Resident across the northeastern Indian subcontinent to southern China, continental Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Identification

Male has red comb, facial skin and lappets, white ear patch, golden-yellow neck hackles, maroon scapulars and arched dark green tail; hackles shed in eclipse plumage (typically between July to October), when head and neck feathers become short and dull. Female drab golden-brown overall, with golden-buff neck feathers, and dark tail.

Habitat

Forest edge, secondary growth, wooded areas, parks and gardens.

Behaviour

Omnivorous. Primarily ground-dwelling and seen in dense bushes, but may occasionally fly up into trees. Hybridization with domestic chickens means that many birds found in Singapore are hybrids rather than pure Red Junglefowls.