The red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) belongs to the Phasianidae family. The red junglefowl are distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia. There are five recognized subspecies of these junglefowl. The subspecies G. g. murghi occurs in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The subspecies G. g. spadiceus occurs in India, Myanmar and China. The subspecies G. g. jabouillei occurs in China, Laos and Vietnam. The subspecies G. g. gallus occurs in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. The subspecies G. g. bankiva occurs in Indonesia.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had categorized and evaluated these pheasant species and had listed them as of 'Least Concern'.
The male junglefowl is a medium sized colorful bird, measuring 65 to 80 cm in length and weighing 670 to 1450 grams. The female is smaller than the male and is 40 to 45 cm long and weighs 480 to 1000 grams. The males have large crimson fleshy wattles and comb on the head. The males have a spur on the leg, used for fighting other competing males. The tail has long arching glossy blackish feathers.
These junglefowl have an extensive range, inhabiting most of the habitats including mangroves. They feed on seed, small reptiles, insects and a variety of plant matter. They roost in the trees. They usually breed during March to May in the dry season. They are polygamous. They nest on the ground and the female bird incubates the eggs. The female junglefowl looks after the chicks.
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| Indian bird - Red junglefowl - Gallus gallus |
| Biological classification of Gallus gallus | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Phasianinae |
| Genus: | Gallus |
| Species: | G. gallus |
| Binomial name: | Gallus gallus |
| Distribution: | Indian Peninsula, southern China, Malaysia and Philippines; |
| Feeding habits: | grains, seeds, berries, insects and termites; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Junglefowl.jpg
http://flickr.com/photos/79492850@N00/6989728758
Author: Jason Thompson | License: CC BY 2.0
Current topic: Red junglefowl - Gallus gallus.