Sri Lankan Jungle Fowl - National Bird of Sri Lanka.(Endemic)

The Sri Lankan Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii), also known during the colonial era as the Ceylon Junglefowl, is a member of the Galliformes bird order which is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is the national bird. It is closely related to the Red Junglefowl (G. gallus), the wild junglefowl from which the chicken was domesticated. The specific name of the Sri Lankan Junglefowl commemorates the French aristocrat Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette. In Sinhala it is known as වළි කුකුළා (Wali Kukula) and in Tamil it is known as இலங்கைக் காட்டுக்கோழி.

As with other junglefowl, the Sri Lankan Junglefowl is strongly sexually dimorphic: the male is much larger than the female, with more vivid plumage and a highly exaggerated wattle and comb.

The male Sri Lankan Junglefowl ranges from 66–72 cm (26–28 in) in length and 790–1,140 g (1.74–2.51 lb) in weight, essentially resembling a large, muscular rooster. The male has orange-red body plumage, and dark purple to black wings and tail. The feathers of the mane descending from head to base of spine are golden, and the face has bare red skin and wattles. The comb is red with a yellow centre. As with the Green Junglefowl, the cock does not possess an eclipse plumage.

The female is much smaller, at only 35 cm (14 in) in length and 510–645 g (1.124–1.422 lb) in weight, with dull brown plumage with white patterning on the lower belly and breast, ideal camouflage for a nesting bird.

This is one of four species of birds in the genus Gallus. The other three members of the genus are Red Junglefowl(G. gallus), Grey Junglefowl (G. sonneratii), and Green Junglefowl (G. varius).

The Sri Lankan Junglefowl is most closely related to the Grey Junglefowl though physically the male resembles the Red Junglefowl. Female Sri Lanka Junglefowl are very similar to those of the Grey Junglefowl. Like the Green Junglefowl, Sri Lankan Junglefowl are island species that have evolved side by side with their similarly stranded island predators and competitors. Uniquely complex anti-predator behaviors and foraging strategies are integral components in the long evolutionary story of the Sri Lankan Junglefowl.

As with other junglefowl, Sri Lanka Junglefowl are primarily terrestrial. It spends most of its time foraging for food by scratching the ground for variousseeds, fallen fruit and insects.

It lays 2-4 eggs in a nest either on the forest floor in steep hill country or in the abandoned nests of other birds and squirrels. Like the Grey and Green Junglefowl, male Sri Lankan Junglefowl play an active role in nest protection and chick rearing.

t is common in forest and scrub habitats, and is commonly spotted at sites such as Wasgamuwa, Kumana, Wilpattu, Yala National Parks and in Sinharaja as well..