
Interbreeding 
No record has been found of the red junglefowl hybridizing 
with other pheasants such as the kalij or the peafowl. It is well 
authenticated, however, that the birds occasionally cross with the 
rather primitive, far ranging village hen in India. In fact such 
crossing is sometimes encouraged to breed new vigor into those rather 
scrawny domestic birds. With much larger, more highly domesticated 
fowls both inclination and opportunity might prove to be rather effective 
deterrents. 
Predation 
As is the rule throughout southern Asia, predators of game 
birds are common in India. Mongoose, jungle cats, certain hawks, 
and the great-horned owl are not uncommon in junglefowl habitat but 
so alert is the bird that no evidence of loss from predation was 
observed. Red junglefowl are frequently encountered in the woods or 
scrub adjacent to human habitations which is also the roving ground 
of many semi-domesticated village cats. Egg losses from nests also 
seem to be of normal proportions. Of 16 wild nests observed in 1960, 
in only 3 had eggs been destroyed, apparently by a predator. 
Reproductive Capacity 
It is surprising to find that these progenitors of domestic 
fowl do not lay as many eggs in the wild as do many species of pheasants. 
The difference is apparently made up by better brood survival, for, 
in favorable coverts, the birds are seldom scarce unless they have been 
seriously overshot the preceeding year. The vital statistics regarding 
reproduction seem to be as follows: 
Breeding age -- Red junglefowl breed the first year following 
hatching. 
Number of eggs -- Normally 5 to 7 with a maximum of 9 or 10. 
Brood survival -- Probably excellent. 
Life span -- In captivity up to 6 years at least. 
Sex ratio -- Unknown. One usually observes more hens than 
cocks because dominant cocks often collect a harem whereas subordinates 
often are scattered through the cover. 
Renesting -- Will renest if the first nest is destroyed. 
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