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The Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), a tropical member of the Pheasant family, is the direct ancestor of the domestic chicken. It was first raised in captivity at least 5,000 years ago in southern Asia, and the domesticated form has been taken all around the world as a very productive food source for both meat and eggs, which some breeds have been specifically developed to produce.

The range of the true species stretches from NE India (where the pure species has almost certainly been diluted with back-crosses from domestic breeds) eastwards across southern ChinaThis article is on the geographic and cultural entity. For other meanings, see China (disambiguation). China ( Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , Hanyu Pinyin: Zhongguo, Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo) is a country in continental East Asia with some oute and down into MalaysiaThe Federation of Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. It consists of two geographical regions divided by the South China Sea: Peninsular Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula is bordered to the north by Thailand and to the south by Singapore; East Malaysia and IndonesiaThe Republic of Indonesia the world's largest archipelago, is located between the Southeast Asian peninsula and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Indonesia borders Malaysia on the island of Borneo ( Kalimantan in Bahasa Indonesia), Papua N.

Each of these various regions had its own race or subspecies such as:

• Gallus gallus gallus IndochinaIndochina or French Indochina was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in south-east Asia, part of the French colonial empire. It consisted of Cochin China, Tonkin, Annam (all of which now form Vietnam), Laos and the Khmer Republic (now Cambo
• Gallus gallus bankiva JavaJava ( Indonesian: Jawa , area 132,000 square km, has 114 million inhabitants and is the most densely populated island in Indonesia, with 864 people per km². If it were a country it would be the second most densely populated country of the world, except f
• Gallus gallus jabouillei VietnamThe Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. It borders China, Laos, Cambodia, and the Gulf of Tonkin. Cng Hoa Xa Hi Ch Nghia Vit Nam ( In Detail) (Full size) National motto: Dc lp, t do, hnh phuc (Independence, Liberty, Happiness Off
• Gallus gallus murghi India
• Gallus gallus spadiceus MyanmarThe Union of Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia, formerly known as Burma . The name of the country was changed in 1989, and this change of name has been officially recognized by the United Nations. Some national governments, such as the United States (considered by some the true ancestor of the domestic bird)

• Gallus gallus domesticus (the domestic Chicken)

During the breeding season, the male birds announce their presence with the well known "cock-a-doodle-doo" call. This serves both to attract potential mates and to make other male birds in the area aware of the risk of fighting a breeding competitor. The lower leg just behind and above the foot has a long spur for just this purpose.

Flight in these birds is almost purely confined to reaching their roosting areas at sunset in trees or any other high and relatively safe places free from ground predators, and for escape from immediate danger through the day.

Current research testing the genetic integrity of this species across its natural range appears to prove that the pure form is quite rare and may even be extinct, only represented in the wild by birds with various degrees of back crossing with domestic selections (breeds) of the species.

The other three members of the genus, Ceylon Junglefowl Gallus lafayetii, Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii and the Green Junglefowl Gallus varius do not produce fertile hybrids with the Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus, proving it to be the sole ancestor of the domestic chicken.