{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "rooster",
  "name": "Rooster",
  "scientificName": "Gallus gallus domesticus",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "Roosters are adult male domestic chickens, descended from red junglefowl of Southeast Asia and bred for thousands of years for crowing, flock protection, and breeding. Weighing 2–4 kg (4.4–9 lb) with spurs and colourful plumage in many breeds, they guard hens from predators and announce dawn with loud crows.",
  "conservationStatus": "Domesticated",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Galliformes",
    "family": "Phasianidae",
    "genus": "Gallus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 2.5,
    "lengthM": 0.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 15,
    "lifespanYears": 7
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Gallus gallus domesticus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore — grain, insects, scraps, and forage"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Farms, villages, and backyards worldwide"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "5–8 years (breeding cocks often kept fewer years)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "2–4 kg (4.4–9 lb) depending on breed"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Capable short flight over fences; fast runner"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Domesticated (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Domesticated from red junglefowl of Southeast Asia; roosters kept on farms and in villages on every inhabited continent.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "Oceania",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Gallus gallus domesticus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Gallus%20gallus%20domesticus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Gallus gallus domesticus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gallus_gallus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/rooster/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/rooster/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}