Chicken-Like Birds: Galliformes

As people turned from a hunter-gatherer society into a farming society, they began to domesticate several galliform species. Turkeys, chickens, and guineafowl continue to be an important part of the human diet throughout the globe. The eggs of Galliformes are highly prized, as their high yolk content is a rich protein source.

Because Galliformes are sedentary, not very active, they are easy to shoot, which makes them the most popular hunting birds throughout the world. Every year, tens of millions of Galliformes are raised and released specifically for shooting purposes. In fact, many species have been introduced into other countries for purpose of sport or decoration. These introductions have proved to be a serious threat to the native bird populations, as is habitat destruction and degradation.