Sonnerat's junglefowl
The Grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii) is one of the wild ancestors of the domestic chicken. The species has been bred domestically in England since 1862 and the feathers of these birds have been commercially supplied from domestic U.K. stocks for fly tying since 1978.
The male Grey junglefowl has a black cape with ochre spots and the body plumage on a grey ground colour is finely patterned. The elongated neck feathers are dark and end in a small, hard, yellowish plate; this peculiar structure makes them popular for making high-grade artificial flies. The male has red wattles and combs but is not as strongly developed as in the red junglefowl. The legs of males are red and have spurs while the yellow legs of females usually lack spurs. The central tail feathers are long and sickle-shaped. Males have an eclipse plumage in which they moult their colourful neck feathers in summer during or after the breeding season. The female is duller and has black and white streaking on the underparts and yellow legs.
Grey junglefowl are native to India. They occur mainly in the Indian Peninsula but extend into Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and southern Rajasthan. The preferred habitat of these birds includes tropical moist forests, thickets, on the forest floor, and open scrub. They also occur in agricultural land and pastures.
Grey junglefowl are active during the day and spend the majority of their time on the ground. They forage in small mixed or single-sex groups. When feeling threatened they fly into trees to escape predators; they also roost in trees at night. Grey junglefowl are vocal birds. Their calls of ‘Ku-kayak-kyuk-kyuk’ (Call of male) and other calls are loud and distinctive and can be heard in the early mornings and at dusk. Before uttering their call the males do not flap their wings.
Grey junglefowl have an omnivorous diet. They feed on grains including bamboo seeds, berries, insects, and termites.
Little is known about the mating system and reproductive behavior of the Grey junglefowl. They are known to breed from February to May. Females scrape a whole in the ground where they lay 4 to 7 pale eggs. Eggs hatch in about 21 days.
This species is not considered threatened. However, its population declines due to habitat loss and hunting. These colorful birds are hunted for meat and for their long neck hackle feathers that are sought after for making fishing lures.
According to IUCN Red List, the Grey junglefowl is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
