EvoLiteracy News 02 04 2016
I am gradually returning to posting on EvoLiteracy after some intense traveling (Hawaii) and finishing manuscripts that could not wait. Not unusual at the end of each year. Plus, I have a book in the making (coauthored with Avelina Espinosa), actually it is in production and shall be out soon.
Speaking of Hawaii. While in Oahu, Nature published a note on the feral chickens of Kauai, one of the smaller islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, located West of Oahu. I have been to Kauai once (2014); it is another amazing island, full of nature and less populated than Oahu (where Honolulu is located), or Maui, or the Big Island, which have substantial human development, large towns and cities.
Satellite view of the Hawaiian Archipelago (East islands). Image from Geology.com, click to enlarge.
The note on the feral chickens is short (you can read it here), but I found the beautiful illustration by Emily Willoughby (below) quite informative, a graphic summary of the story. Keep in mind that “feralization” is NOT domestication in reverse. Evolution does not work backwards, or in return to a previous stage; at least not in the way that some people may think. For example, if humans are left in the wild for many generations,say thousands of years, they will not “turn into” Neanderthals or early Cro-Magnons. That will simply not happen…Anyway, that is material for another posting.
As much as domestication, feralization is a complex evolutionary phenomena. Domestication is heavily driven by artificial selection (humans select); feralization is driven by natural selection (nature selects). To this we must add the fact that domestic and feral chickens are freely and constantly hybridizing in Hawaii. Therefore, the reader can imagine a continuum of phenotypes (and genotypes) in Hawaiian Gallus.
The feral chickens of Hawaii (Moa in Hawaiian) are indeed descendants of junglefowl ancestors (Gallus gallus) brought to the islands by Polynesian settlers (at least 1,000 years ago), but because some of the early birds lived in close proximity to humans, they developed domestic features, now hybridized with wild-type-like features “freely ranging” within the birds. For example, the comb size is under heavy sexual-selection pressure among the feral chickens, but it is under more relaxed selection among the domesticated birds. Overall, feral chickens have larger and more intensely colored combs than domestic chickens.
The domesticated birds do not incubate their eggs (a byproduct of humans constantly removing the eggs) as much as the feral chickens, and the feral hens seem to lay eggs less frequently (possibly seasonally) than their domesticated sisters. The feral birds grow faster than the domestic ones, which makes them, as adults, smaller than the domesticated chickens. The feral birds have grey legs, the domestic have yellow legs; however, both yellow- and grey-legs are common among the feral chickens of Kauai (does that tell you something?).
Finally, the plumage color is illustrative of the hybrid ancestry of today’s free-ranging roosters and hens of Kauai (i.e. a mix of junglefowl red-black plumage with the white feathers typical of the domestic chickens).
If interested in scientific info about the mixed ancestry and admixture in Kauai’s feral chickens, take a look at Gering et al. (2015), or the hybrid origin of the domestic chicken by Eriksson et al. (2008), or the genetic basis of traits that differentiate modern domestic species from their wild counterparts by Flink et al. (2013), or comparative analysis of the chicken genome by Hillier et al. (2004). Next time you visit Hawaii remember to honor these elegant birds. They are everywhere. — GPC
Aerial View of the Twin Cascades, Wailua Falls, Kauai. Photo GPC 2014
Another introduced species in the Hawaiian Islands, the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), photo taken in Kauai Island, GPC 2014
Suggested Readings
FAQs
Some people do hunt and eat the chickens. Others eat the eggs. None of it has been enough to make a significant dent in the population. In 2022, Hawaii lawmakers attempted to pass a bill that would have considered the use of an avian birth control to manage chicken populations, but it didn't pass.
What is the problem with feral chickens in Hawaii? ›
During disruptions caused by the tropical hurricanes Iwa (in 1982) and Iniki (in 1992) almost all the domestic chickens escaped into the wild (Johnsson et al. 2016). Domesticated chickens have, since then, roamed freely on the island, becoming a large feral population.
What is moa chicken? ›
n. 1. Chicken, red jungle chicken (Gallus gallus), fowl, as brought to Hawaiʻi by Polynesians; for some people, an ʻaumakua.
What happened to the chickens in Kauai? ›
Two hurricanes, during the years 1982 and 1992, caused devastation to the island of Kauai in which these cages and coops were decimated, allowing all the fowl to roam freely. What we are seeing today is both an ancient and modern hybrid chicken with all of these mixed traits.
Which Hawaiian island has the most wild chickens? ›
Recent tracking suggests as many as 450,000 of these fowl are running amok on Kauai. That's no paltry amount of poultry. Especially when you consider the population of the island is only around 73,000, meaning that for every local resident there are six chickens.
Which Hawaiian island is forbidden to the public? ›
No one is allowed on Niihau Island because of the Robinson family's decision to preserve the island's traditional Hawaiian culture and language following their purchase from King Kamehameha in 1864. This policy, aimed at limiting exposure to the external world, supports the island's nickname, the “Forbidden Island.”
What are chickens called in Hawaii? ›
Gallus gallus | red junglefowl (domestic) | moa
The first Polynesian settlers brought moa, or red junglefowl, to Hawaiʻi centuries ago. This tropical, forest-dwelling chicken is colorful rusty red with long curved black tail feathers and a red comb atop their head.
Can you have backyard chickens in Hawaii? ›
Although there are feral chickens walking around Hawaii, owning chickens that produce farm fresh eggs daily is very different. According to Hawaii's laws regarding chickens as pets, those in Honolulu County are only allowed to have two chickens and peafowl per household except in areas where more animals are allowed.
How to get rid of feral chickens in Hawaii? ›
Contact Department of Customer Services to report issues on city property such as parks, building areas and other local government property: Email: complaints@honolulu.gov or call (808) 768-4381. Each state department is responsible for the cleanliness of its own properties and to abate any nuisances.
What does MOA mean in Hawaiian? ›
Moa is the Hawaiian word for Chicken. Our wild. chickens are descendant of the original jungle fowl. brought by the Polynesians some 1000 years ago.
The Hawaiian word for “chicken” is moa, pronounced moh-ah.
What is velveting chicken? ›
Velvet chicken is a Chinese cooking technique where boneless, skinless chicken pieces are coated in a mixture of baking soda, cornstarch, wine, and seasoning, then briefly cooked resulting in tender, velvety chicken that easily absorbs sauces. In some methods, egg white is also included.
Is it illegal to feed feral chickens in Hawaii? ›
Establishes a $500 civil fine for the feeding or attempted feeding of any feral chicken. Provides that the department of health shall enforce this prohibition regardless of whether the department determines there is a nuisance that is dangerous or injurious to health.
Why is Kauai full of roosters? ›
Well as local lore goes, the hurricanes of 1982 (Iwa) and 1992 (Iniki) destroyed domestic coops, releasing the chickens into the jungles. These domesticated birds then mated with the wild red junglefowl (brought to the islands by the Polynesian) resulting in the feral chickens we see today.
Why are chickens all over Maui? ›
The overpopulation of these chickens in Hawaii stems from two major natural disasters – Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and Hurricane Iwa in 1982. These hurricanes demolished farm lands and inadvertently freed these birds. Plus, with no natural predators around, these chickens have proliferated without much difficulty.
Is it illegal to catch chicken in Hawaii? ›
Are All Hawaiian Chickens Protected by Law? According to a wildlife biologist at the Kauai Division of Forestry and Wildlife, feral (wild) chickens are protected. All wild birds are protected under State law.
Why are there feral chickens in Maui? ›
The overpopulation of these chickens in Hawaii stems from two major natural disasters – Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and Hurricane Iwa in 1982. These hurricanes demolished farm lands and inadvertently freed these birds. Plus, with no natural predators around, these chickens have proliferated without much difficulty.
Can you eat backyard chickens? ›
You can raise chickens for meat on a small scale, even in your backyard. Chicks need clean space, heat lamps, bedding, starter feed, and plenty of clean water. Free-range broilers with less outdoor space may sunbathe, aggressively attack, stretch, or pant more than those with more outdoor space.
