Sri Lankan Junglefowl

     The Sri Lankan Junglefowl, or the Ceylon Junglefowl, is a member of the Pheasant family, endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is the national bird too. It’s usually found in various habitats from coastal scrubs to mountain forests, anywhere between sea level and 2,000 m above sea level.

     The Sri Lankan Junglefowl is a gorgeous Chicken indeed, with a stunning appearance. Roosters’ breasts and upperparts are mainly a rich, fiery yellow to coppery orange with golden streaks, while the abdomens, flanks and tails are of a dark metallic purplish-black. The bare facial skin, the wattles and the comb are all red, but the comb has a central yellow patch. Sri Lankan hens differ in having tiny combs and almost no wattles, and being much smaller than cocks. They also have a plumage which is mostly brown with a darker tail and bold brown and buff barring on the wings, which provides an ideal camouflage for a nesting bird. Sri Lankan roosters have reddish legs while those of females are yellow.

     Although the main breeding season of Sri Lankan Junglefowls is from February to May, a second clutch is often laid in August to September, and breeding appears to go on throughout the year. Nests normally are built on the ground amongst bushes or under logs, and the female lays two to four eggs per clutch, which are incubated for 20 – 21 days. The eggs are highly variable in color, but generally they are cream with a yellow or a pink tint, and purple or brownish spots are common as well. Like the Grey Junglefowl and the Green Junglefowl, the male Sri Lankan Junglefowl plays an active role in nest protection and chicks rearing.

     Sri Lankan Junglefowls spend most of their time foraging for food by scratching the ground for different types of seeds, fallen fruit and insects. Unfortunately, these birds are particularly vulnerable to bacterial diseases common in domestic poultry. Sri Lankan Junglefowls are also exceedingly rare in captivity as their dietary requirements cannot be met with regular commercial processed food materials.