The Hamburg breed is also referred to as the Holland fowl. This breed originated in northern Europe and the British Isles. This is a variable breed with numerous colors and patterns. There are also various sized forms. The white pale skin area below the eye will help identify both males and females of this breed. The males can be reddish orange with darker tails. The females are pale marked with black lines or stripes and spots. These birds lay white eggs.

Chicken or junglefowl genus (Gallus) contains 4 species. These can be found from India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to SE Asia and south into Java. The common chicken has been introduced almost worldwide. The males have long tails, and the females have shorter tails. The males can be up to about 28 inches in length, and the females can be as short as 14 inches.

Chickens play an important role in feeding the world. Chicken meat is one of the cheapest source of meat protein known. Chicken eggs are sold around the world. We have divided the chicken breeds into several groups: The American breeds, the Asiatic breeds, the Continental Breeds, the English breeds, the Oriental breeds, the Mediterranean breeds, and the misc. breeds.

Domestic chicken comes in a variety of forms. Because the chicken has been domesticated for over five thousand years (India 3200 B.C.), it is difficult to ascertain the precise ancestors of each of the various breeds. However, several different wild species are involved in some of the breeds. The Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus) of southeast Asia is considered to be the ancestor of most forms.

The term bantam refers to small birds that can be in a variety of breeds. The breeds are the main classification, but within breeds there are sometimes numerous varieties. The term class can be used to determine a group of birds that will be compared against each other at poultry shows and fairs.

Fowl group (Galliformes order) contains the various chickens and turkey-like birds of the world. There are about 240 different species of fowl known. Many of the wild species are endangered. Several species such as the domesticated chicken and turkey are main food sources in the world. Most fowl are grain eaters and spend a good portion of their life searching for food on the ground. Select species have been domesticated for their beauty and/or edibility, others are considered good game birds.

Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000. Birdlife recognizes 10,027 species as of 2011.

However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.

Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.

The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.

For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago. However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.

When this project was begun in 1978, we used Austin & Singer for bird taxonomy. Since then, we have adopted many changes, but have kept some older concepts that are still found widely in the literature. Recently, we have used Clements and Howard & Moore. Very recently, we have used Monroe and Sibley for the higher taxonomy of the perching birds.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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