Why it represents the country
The Sri Lanka junglefowl, known in Sinhala as wali kukula, is widely recognized as Sri Lanka's national bird. No law or official decision that first named it has been found, so it is best described as a widely accepted national symbol rather than one set out in law.
The bird is a natural choice because it is endemic, which means it lives only in Sri Lanka. It also belongs to the small group of junglefowl, the wild birds most closely related to the domestic chicken, so it links the island's forests with the farmyard birds that people know well. The splendid golden and orange male is easy to recognize, and many visitors see one in the national parks.
Sri Lanka's other national symbols also come from its plants and wildlife. The blue water lily was declared the national flower in 1986, and the Ceylon ironwood, or na tree, is the national tree. Together with the junglefowl, they reflect the island's rich and unusual nature.
About the animal
The male Sri Lanka junglefowl looks like a brilliantly colored wild rooster. His body is orange-red, his neck is covered with long golden feathers, and his wings and tail are dark purple to black. He has a bare red face with red wattles and a red comb with a yellow center. Males measure about 66 to 73 centimeters long, including the long tail, and weigh about 0.8 to 1.1 kilograms.
Females are much smaller, about 35 centimeters long, and are dull brown with white patterns on the lower breast and belly. These plain colors help hide them while they sit on their nests on the ground.
Junglefowl spend most of their time on the forest floor, scratching through leaves for seeds, fallen fruit and insects. They feed mostly in the early morning and evening, especially after rain. Although they live on the ground, they can fly short distances and roost in trees at night or to escape danger. They are shy in many places but often quite tame in national parks. The male's call, written as chiok, chaw-choyik, warns other birds to keep out of his territory.
The main breeding season is early in the year, sometimes with a second season around August and September. The female lays two to four cream-colored eggs with dark speckles, usually in a shallow scrape on the ground at the base of a tree or in undergrowth. She incubates the eggs and looks after the chicks herself.
Conservation
The Sri Lanka junglefowl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is found across the island wherever there is enough forest cover, and its population is thought to be stable.
Because it lives only in Sri Lanka, its future depends entirely on the island's forests. Clearing land for farms, plantations and towns reduces the cover it needs, although in the hills the bird also uses tea estates where forest is close by.
National parks and forest reserves give junglefowl safe places to live, and they are some of the best spots to see the bird. Scientists have also found traces of Sri Lanka junglefowl genes in domestic chickens, a reminder that this wild bird is part of the chicken's family history. Keeping Sri Lanka's forests healthy is the best way to protect its national bird.
Fun facts
- The Sri Lanka junglefowl lives naturally nowhere in the world except Sri Lanka.
- A yellow patch in the middle of the male's red comb is one of the easiest ways to recognize the species.
- Junglefowl find their food on the ground but fly up into trees to sleep at night.
Other national symbols of Sri Lanka
- National flower
Blue water lily (nil manel) Nymphaea nouchali Officially designated
Sri Lanka declared the blue water lily, nil manel, its national flower in February 1986 after Cabinet approval.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national bird of Sri Lanka?
The national bird of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lanka junglefowl (a widely recognized national symbol, not set by law). It is a wild relative of the chicken found nowhere else on Earth, and the brightly colored male, with an orange-red body, golden neck feathers and a red comb with a yellow center, is a familiar sight in the island's forests and national parks.
Which country has the Sri Lanka junglefowl as its national bird?
The Sri Lanka junglefowl is the national bird of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka junglefowl is also known as Ceylon junglefowl or Lafayette's junglefowl.
Why is the Sri Lanka junglefowl the national bird of Sri Lanka?
The Sri Lanka junglefowl, known in Sinhala as wali kukula, is a natural choice because it is endemic, living only in Sri Lanka. As one of the junglefowl, the wild birds most closely related to the domestic chicken, it links the island's forests with the farmyard birds people know well, and its splendid golden and orange male is easy to recognize. No law or official decision first naming it has been found, so it is a widely accepted symbol rather than one set out in law.
Is the Sri Lanka junglefowl endangered?
The Sri Lanka junglefowl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, and its population is thought to be stable wherever there is enough forest cover. Because it lives only in Sri Lanka, its future depends entirely on the island's forests, which are being cleared for farms, plantations and towns.
Where does the Sri Lanka junglefowl live?
Forests and forest edges across Sri Lanka, from the lowlands to the hills.
Sources
- Ceylon Bird Club. Ceylon Junglefowl Gallus lafayettii.
- BirdLife International. Sri Lanka Junglefowl Gallus lafayettii, species factsheet.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Gallus lafayettii (assessment 2024).
- The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) — The 'great pretender' (2010).
- Mongabay — The curious case of the Sri Lankan national flower that wasn't (2022).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
