Year of the (Red Junglefowl) Rooster

(Photo credit: Francis Yap; Text edits: Author)

Happy Lunar New Year to one and all! Here's wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous rooster year ahead.

I'm so glad for that the chinese zodiac gives me the opportunity to introduce to you one of our local fauna - the Red Junglefowl!

Red Junglefowls are the ancestors to our domesticated chickens. The Red Junglefowl roosters can be differentiated by their white cheek patches. Their calls are different too... now how do i describe it...?

Okay, do the chicken call (like you would to a kid), and cut the call off suddenly just before the last note. Kinda like it's trying to call but got strangled halfway through. That's what the junglefowls sound like.

They have been sighted on Pulau Ubin by the dozens, foraging together by the coastline. What a sight to behold! Smaller flocks have been spotted in various parts of mainlnd Singapore as well, such as Pasir Ris Park, Venus Drive, and I have even heard them in Punggol.

These wild chickens can fly! Not too high or too far but they could fly up a tree, although they are most often seen foraging on the ground.

Next time you spot one of these Red Junglefowls, you know it's not somebody's lost pet, but they are part of our wild biodiversity right here in Singapore. So take a moment to observe them and admire their resilience for surviving in this urban jungle.

This Rooster year, be resilient, wild and free - just like the Red Junglefowl!

Happy Rooster Year!

Tammy