Red Jungle Fowl - Laos


Laos, once covered by vast stretches of unblemished jungles, has in recent decades seen the amount of land dedicated to forests decrease dramatically. Agriculture provides 80% of Laotian employment and clearing new lands places high demands on a shrinking forest, the leading cause of deforestation in Laos.

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Gallus gallus - The red jungle fowl is the ancestor of the domesticated fowl. The male has a large fleshy comb and silky plumage of red, black, and green variations while the female is of a rusty brown color, a speckled neck, and a minimal comb. The courtship ritual of the male jungle fowl consists of an elaborate display, a trait evident in the domesticated fowl. There is a strictly enforced pecking order within groups; one for males and one for females. Newly hatched chicks are introduced to these pecking orders within a week after hatching.