Feral chicken

A feral rooster on the island of Kauai
A family of feral chickens, Key West, Florida

Feral chickens are derived from domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus) who have returned to the wild. Like the red junglefowl (the closest wild relative of domestic chickens), feral chickens will roost in bushes in order to avoid predators at night. [1]

Feral chickens typically form social groups composed of a dominant cockerel, several hens, and subordinate cocks. Sometimes the dominant cockerel is designated by a fight between cocks.[2]

  1. ^ Tove Danovitch (24 May 2023). "Kaui's Feral Chickens Are Out of Control". The Atlantic. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  2. ^ Leonard, Marty L.; Zanette (1998). "Female mate choice and male behaviour in domestic fowl" (PDF). Animal Behaviour. 56 (5): 1099–1105. doi:10.1006/anbe.1998.0886. PMID 9819324. S2CID 45208700. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-05-15. Retrieved 2008-04-25.