Red Junglefowl Life History

Habitat

Red Junglefowl occurs in a range of forest types, from undisturbed old-growth forest to coastal mangroves to second-growth forest and forest edge.

Food

Red Junglefowl eat a mix of seeds, fruits, and insects—including ants, beetles, and termites—depending on seasonal availability. They forage by scratching the ground and picking at items, typically visiting open areas in early morning and evening.

Nesting

Nest Placement

Placed on the ground under bushes, in clumps of bamboo, or in tree forks.

Nest Description

A shallow scrape lined with dry grass, palm fronds and bamboo leaves.

Nesting Facts

Behavior

Wild Red Junglefowl are often secretive and more likely to be heard than seen. They usually occur in small groups, often made up of a male with several females. In their native range, they sometimes join groups of pheasants or associate with wild and domestic mammals.

Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Red Junglefowl's conservation status as Least Concern.

Credits

BirdLife International. 2024. Gallus gallus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T22679199A263732457. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T22679199A263732457.en.

McGowan, P. J. K. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.redjun.01

Pratt, H.D., Bruner, P.L. and Berrett, D.G. (1987). A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

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