
Habitat and Cover Preferences 
The Indian red junglefowl prefers flat and rolling, or, more 
rarely, steep country, from sea level up to 6,000 feet. In northern 
India, optimum conditions are found in winter from 1,000 feet to 3,000 
feet and during the hot months from 2,000 to 4,000 feet. Included 
within its range are both acid and alkaline soils. Alluviun, clay 
loams, sandy loams, red soils and brown forest soils comprise the main 
soil groups. 
Indian junglefowl, like ruffed grouse, are primarily forest 
and scrub-loving species, particularly in the vicinity of scattered 
cultivated or overgrown fields along and out from the lower hill slopes 
where some water is available throughout the year. They like edge 
cover, from which they move out into fields, though seldom for any 
great distance. Forested or brushy areas several miles from cultivation 
also are frequented provided there is some thick undergrowth interspersed 
with more open woodlands. 
The forest types vary from fairly mature second-growth and 
spot-lumbered, all-aged forests, common in the Himalayan foothills, 
to the much more open, mixed hardwoods and tropical thorn forests and 
jungle of the dryer alluvial plains. Hardwoods, some of which maintain 
their leaves throughout the year, predominate, though junglefowl are 
also found in fair numbers when there is an admixture with pine. Sal 
(Shorea robusta), a tall tree with large leaves, is characteristic of 
many junglefowl habitats, though usually in association with many other 
hardwoods. Teak and bamboo forests also are frequented. Undergrowth 
may be fairly dense or, if open, must include a considerable number of 
thicker clumps such as is provided by bamboo and lantana. Leaves, 
small shrubs and herbs and grass, often in clumps, usually form a rather 
open ground cover. 
Junglefowl prefer small clearings in-brushy situations for 
feeding and are great leaf scratchers in their search for food. 
Cultivated fields of grain, rice, mustard, cotton or chili adjoining 
forests or scrub growth are attractive. They also feed along dirt 
roads passing through forest or scrub areas wherever available. 
In the Siwalik Range, north of New Delhi, junglefowl are 
found in thick to fairly open scrub jungle ravines as well as in 
extensive deciduous forest slopes and flats. South of this range they 
are abundant on flat to locally rough terrain, bisected by often dry 
stream beds. Temperate type forests here gradually become mixed with 
dry thorn jungle which, if fairly dense, still harbors many birds. 
