Sri Lankan Junglefowl (Gallus lafayettii)

The Sri Lankan Junglefowl is the national bird of Sri Lanka and the only bird endemic to the island at the species level. The male is strikingly beautiful — orange-red and gold plumage with a distinctive purple-red comb edged in yellow, while the female is mottled brown for camouflage. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, it remains widespread but faces localised pressure from hunting and trapping.

This endemic species inhabits a wide range of forest types from the lowland rainforests of Sinharaja to the dry scrub forests of the North and the forest edges of the Central Highlands. It is the closest wild relative of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) found in Sri Lanka. The junglefowl is omnivorous, feeding on seeds, insects, and small invertebrates, and is known for its loud crowing call at dawn. It plays an important role in seed dispersal across forest ecosystems.