Domestic Chicken (often referred to as Poultry or Red Junglefowl in domestic form)

This is a distinctive 'saddle feather' from a rooster. Domestic chickens are highly variable in appearance, but this rich brown color is common in breeds like the Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire. Roosters are known for their upright combs, wattles, and dramatic tail plumes.

Uniform rich mahogany or rufous brown with a glossy, semi-iridescent sheen typical of melanistic and carotenoid-based structural coloring in chickens.

Mostly pennaceous and tightly interlocked along the main vane, transitioning to a small, loose plumulaceous section near the base (calamus).

Very smooth, silky, and glossy. The surface has a high luster that reflects light, typical of healthy domestic poultry feathers.

Lanceolate (spear-like) shape, extreme flexibility of the rachis, and the uniform glossy mahogany coloration.

Agricultural lands, backyards, and farms; originally derived from tropical and subtropical jungles of Southeast Asia.

Global distribution due to domestication; found on every continent except Antarctica.

In a domestic setting, they serve as scavengers and insect consumers; their wild ancestors are critical seed dispersers in forest understories.

Red Junglefowl (wild ancestor) feathers are nearly identical. Similar in shape to some Ring-necked Pheasant neck feathers, but those usually feature different patterns or bars.

The domestic chicken was domesticated approximately 8,000 years ago. Their feathers are specially shaped for social signaling and courtship rather than just flight.

Good condition; minor fraying at the tip and some separation of the barbs near the midpoint, but the structural integrity remains high.