I was at Kanifnath for two September mornings waiting to get a few shots of the rain quail when my son pointed out this bird that had come within few feet from me. My first reaction was to just dismiss it off thinking that it's only a chicken. I clicked a few shots anyways. On reviewing the images on the computer I noticed the colours and details of this beautiful bird. I have often seen these birds so sorry looking caged up one on top of the other at Shivaji market and it was a refreshing change to see it happy in its wild open space.
Red junglefowl are the wild ancestors of all domestic poultry, although the rooster is said to be more brilliantly coloured than its tame relative. Genetic Contamination through hybridisation and interbreeding with domestic and feral (previously domesticated animals that have returned to a wild state) chickens poses the real threat, pushing pure wild junglefowl to the verge of genetic extinction.