What wild bird is the main ancestor of the domestic chicken?

The red junglefowl is the main wild ancestor of the domestic chicken. Its scientific name is Gallus gallus, and domestic chickens are classified as a domesticated form of the same species.

Genetic and archaeological research indicates that chickens were primarily domesticated from red junglefowl in Southeast Asia. Domestication likely began thousands of years ago, with genetic studies placing a major origin around 8,000 years ago, although the exact timing and location remain subjects of research.

The story is not completely one-species-only. Domestic chickens later interbred with other junglefowl, including the grey junglefowl, Sri Lankan junglefowl, and green junglefowl. For example, research indicates that the gene associated with yellow skin came from the grey junglefowl.

The red junglefowl’s natural behavior also helped domestication: it could reproduce rapidly when abundant seasonal food, such as bamboo seed, became available. Mallards are ancestors of domestic ducks, while wild turkeys and greylag geese belong to different domestication histories.