Red junglefowl
The red junglefowl is a wild pheasant native to South and Southeast Asia and the principal ancestor of the domestic chicken.
Gallus: A genus of pheasants native to Asia that includes the red junglefowl and several closely related species. The red junglefowl is one of four living species placed in this genus.
Domestication of the chicken: The process by which humans bred wild junglefowl into domestic chickens. Red junglefowl populations supplied most of the ancestry of domestic chickens.
Chicken: A domesticated bird raised worldwide chiefly for its meat and eggs. Its ancestry, traits, and evolution are studied through comparison with red junglefowl.
Chicken as food: The use of chicken meat and eggs as food across cultures and cuisines. The red junglefowl's domestication ultimately enabled a major global food source.
IUCN Red List: A global system that assesses species' extinction risk using standardized criteria. Its assessment records the conservation status of red junglefowl populations.
Phasianidae: The bird family that includes pheasants, partridges, turkeys, and chickens. This family places the red junglefowl among other gamebirds.
Domestic chicken: The domesticated fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus, kept worldwide for meat, eggs, and other purposes. This familiar domestic bird descends principally from the red junglefowl.
Poultry farming: The breeding and raising of domesticated birds for food, materials, or other products. Chicken production depends on domestication and selective breeding that began with junglefowl.
Selective breeding: The deliberate reproduction of organisms with chosen traits to alter later generations. Human selection transformed junglefowl traits into the diversity of domestic chicken breeds.
South Asia: A region of Asia that includes countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Red junglefowl occur across parts of this region.