Meet Red Junglefowl: The World’s oldest chicken breed still in existence

Meet Red Junglefowl: Discover the ancient bird that gave rise to every domesticated chicken we know today. (Image: Canva)

The First "Chicken": Prior to farm chickens, there was the Red Junglefowl—the ancestor of the age-old mystery and each clucking bird in your backyard. (Image: Canva)

Wild Origins in Southeast Asia: Indigenous to Southeast Asia, this bird from the tropics inhabited dense forests years before it entered human history. (Image: Canva)

Originally Domesticated for Fighting: Chickens weren't originally kept for eggs or meat—but for cockfighting. The Red Junglefowl was selectively bred for vigour and ferocity. (Image: Canva)

From Fighters to Food: Not until 3,500 years ago were chickens cherished for eggs and meat and distributed far beyond Asia through commerce. (Image: Canva)

Flashy Plumage, Tough Flight: Males have brilliant red, gold, and green feathers. They are trim, swift and in contrast to barn chickens, fly and roost in trees. (Image: Canva)

Nature's Pecking Order: Red Junglefowl groups have a rigid social pecking order. Dominance determines food, mates, and life—a carryover from their brawling history. (Image: Canva)

Females Built for Survival: Hens possess duller feathers to camouflage themselves when nesting, providing natural cover that guards their eggs from predators. (Image: Canva)

Descendants of Fame: The present-day White Leghorn and Jersey Giant hens have Junglefowl DNA, developed for egg or meat production but tracing back to a single wild ancestor. (Image: Canva)

The Dinosaur Connection: Not only ancient—this bird is the link to dinosaurs, the scientists tracing its ancestry to the giant theropods. (Image: Canva)