View source for Fowl

{{short description|Superorder of birds}}
{{Other uses}}
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{{Automatic taxobox
| taxon = Galloanserae
| name = Fowls
| fossil_range = {{fossil_range/linked|Maastrichtian|Recent|ref=<ref>{{cite journal|first1=A.|last1=Elzanowski|first2=T.A.|last2=Stidham|year=2011|title=A Galloanserine Quadrate from the Late Cretaceous Lance Formation of Wyoming|journal=The Auk|volume=128|issue=1|pages=138–145|doi=10.1525/auk.2011.10113}}</ref>}}
<small>Possibly an earlier origin based on [[molecular clock]]<ref name=Kuhletal2020>{{cite journal | first1 = H. | last1 = Kuhl. | first2 = C. | last2 = Frankl-Vilches | first3 = A. | last3 = Bakker | first4 = G. | last4 = Mayr | first5 = G. | last5 = Nikolaus | first6 = S. T. | last6 = Boerno | first7 = S. | last7 = Klages | first8 = B. | last8 = Timmermann | first9 = M. | last9 = Gahr | year = 2020 | title = An unbiased molecular approach using 3'UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life. | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 38 | pages = 108–127 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msaa191 | doi-access = free | pmid = 32781465 | pmc = 7783168 }}</ref></small>
| image = Alectura lathami - Centenary Lakes.jpg
| image_caption = [[Australian brushturkey]] (''Alectura lathami'')
| display_parents = 2
| authority = [[Philip Sclater|Sclater]], 1880
| subdivision_ranks = Subgroups
| subdivision = * [[Odontoanserae]]
* [[Pangalliformes]]
*{{extinct}}[[Gastornithiformes]]
*{{extinct}}[[Dromornithidae]]
| synonyms = Anatophasianae
}}

'''Fowl''' are [[bird]]s belonging to one of two [[order (biology)|biological orders]], namely the gamefowl or landfowl ([[Galliformes]]) and the waterfowl ([[Anseriformes]]). Anatomical and molecular similarities suggest these two groups are close [[evolution]]ary relatives; together, they form the fowl [[clade]] which is scientifically known as '''Galloanserae''' or '''Galloanseres''' (initially termed Galloanseri) ([[Latin]] ''gallus'' ("rooster") + ''ānser'' ("goose")).<ref>Sibley, C, Ahlquist, J. & Monroe, B. (1988)</ref> This clade is also supported by morphological and [[DNA sequence]] data<ref>Chubb, A. (2004)</ref> as well as [[retrotransposon]] [[Retrotransposon Marker|presence/absence data]].<ref>Kriegs ''et al.'' (2007)</ref>

==Terminology==
As opposed to "fowl", "[[poultry]]" is a term for any kind of [[domesticated]] bird or bird captive-raised for meat, eggs, or feathers; [[ostrich]]es, for example, are sometimes kept as poultry, but are neither gamefowl nor waterfowl. In colloquial speech, however, the term "fowl" is often used near-synonymously with "poultry", and many languages do not distinguish between "poultry" and "fowl". Nonetheless, the fact that the Galliformes and Anseriformes most likely form a [[monophyletic]] group makes a distinction between "fowl" and "poultry" warranted.

The historic difference in English is due to the Germanic/Latin split word pairs characteristic of [[Middle English]]; the word 'fowl' is of Germanic origin (cf. Old English "{{lang|ang|fugol}}", West Frisian {{lang|fy|fûgel}}, Dutch {{lang|nl|vogel}}, German {{lang|de|Vogel}}, Swedish {{lang|sv|fågel}}, Danish/Norwegian {{lang|da|fugl}}), whilst 'poultry' is of Latin ''pullus'' ("chicken") via [[Norman French]] origin ''poule'' ("chicken");<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=fowl |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Etymonline.com |access-date=2013-02-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=poultry |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Etymonline.com |access-date=2013-02-22}}</ref> the presence of an initial /p/ in ''poultry'' and an initial /f/ in ''fowl'' is due to [[Grimm's Law]]. 

Many birds that are eaten by humans are fowl, including [[poultry]] such as [[chicken]]s or [[domesticated turkey|turkey]]s, [[game bird]]s such as [[pheasant]]s or [[partridge]]s, other wildfowl like [[guineafowl]] or [[peafowl]], and [[waterfowl]] such as [[duck]]s or [[geese]].

==Characteristics==
While they are quite diverse [[ecological]]ly and consequently, in an adaptation to their different lifestyles, also [[morphology (biology)|morphologically]] and [[ethological]]ly, some features still unite water- and landfowl. Many of these, however, are [[plesiomorph]]ic for [[Neornithes]] as a whole, and are also shared with [[paleognath]]s.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
*Galloanserae are very prolific; they regularly produce [[clutch (eggs)|clutch]]es of more than five or even more than 10 eggs, which is a lot for such sizeable birds. By comparison, [[birds of prey]] and [[pigeon]]s rarely lay more than two eggs.
*While most living birds are [[Monogamy in animals|monogamous]], at least for a breeding season, many Galloanserae are notoriously [[Polygyny in animals|polygynous]] or [[polyandry in animals|polyandrous]]. To [[ornithologist]]s, this is particularly well known in [[dabbling duck]]s, where the males band together occasionally to forcefully mate with unwilling females. The general public is probably most familiar with the polygynous habits of [[domestic chicken]]s, where usually one or two [[rooster]]s are kept with a whole flock of females.
*[[Hybrid (biology)|Hybridization]] is extremely frequent in the Galloanserae, and [[genera]], not usually known to produce viable hybrids in birds, can be brought to interbreed with comparative ease. [[Guineafowl]] have successfully produced hybrids with domestic fowl and [[Indian peafowl]], to which they are not particularly closely related as [[Galliformes]] go. This is an important factor complicating [[mtDNA]] [[DNA sequence|sequence]]-based research on their relationships. The [[mallard]]s of [[North America]], for example, are apparently mostly derived from some males which arrived from [[Siberia]], settled down, and mated with [[American black duck]] ancestors.<ref>Kulikova, I. ''et al.'' (2005)</ref> ''See also'' [[Gamebird hybrids]].
*Galloanserae young are remarkably [[wiktionary:precocious|precocious]]. Anseriform young are able to swim and dive a few hours after hatching, and the hatchlings of [[Megapodidae|mound-builders]] (megapodes) are fully feathered and even able to fly for prolonged distances as soon as they emerge from the nest mound.

==Systematics and evolution==
From the [[fossil]]s that have been recovered, the conclusion that the Galloanserae were already widespread by the end of the [[Cretaceous]] is generally accepted. A combination of fossils and [[molecular clocks]] estimated the origin of Galloanserae at 85 million years ago.<ref name=ClaramuntCracraft2015>{{cite journal |last1=Claramunt |first1=S. |last2=Cracraft |first2=J. |title=A new time tree reveals Earth history's imprint on the evolution of modern birds |journal=Science Advances |date=2015 |volume=1 |issue=11 |article-number=e1501005 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.1501005 |pmid=26824065 |pmc=4730849 |bibcode=2015SciA....1E1005C }}</ref> Fossils such as ''[[Vegavis]]'' indicate that essentially modern waterfowl, albeit belonging to a now-[[extinct]] lineage, were contemporaries of the non-avian [[dinosaur]]s. While the dominant [[avialans]] of the [[Mesozoic Era]], the [[Enantiornithes]], died out with all other non-avian dinosaurs, the Galloanserae (fowl) survived to become the first successful group of modern birds after the other dinosaurs died out.

As opposed to the [[Morphology (biology)|morphologically]] fairly conservative Galliformes, the Anseriformes have adapted to filter-feeding and are characterized by many [[autapomorph]]ies related to this lifestyle. The extremely advanced feeding systems of the Anseriformes, together with similarities of the early anseriform ''[[Presbyornis]]'' to [[shorebird]]s, had formerly prompted some scientists to ally Anseriformes with [[Charadriiformes]], instead.<ref>Benson, D. (1999)</ref><ref>Feduccia, A. (1999)</ref> However, as strong support for the Galloanserae has emerged in subsequent studies, the fowl clade continues to be accepted as a genuine evolutionary lineage by the vast majority of scientists.

==Relationship with humans==

===Spiritual meanings and representations===
Fowl have deep spiritual meanings and roots in ancient cultures, such as Hinduism in India and in many Pagan cultures throughout the world. The peacock, for example, represents truth, beauty, honor, and strength and dreams of peacocks are referred to as good omens.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-11-25|title=Chicken Symbolism, Dreams, and Messages|url=https://www.spirit-animals.com/chicken-symbolism/|access-date=2021-05-03|website=Spirit Animal Totems|language=en-US}}</ref>

===As food===
Fowl are frequently kept for both meat and eggs. [[Chicken]]s, by far, are the most heavily consumed and farmed out of all of them. Other fowl commonly used in cooking include [[Domestic duck|duck]]s, [[Domestic goose|geese]], [[Domestic turkey|turkey]]s and [[quail]].

===As game===
Various species of fowl are hunted for both sport and food.  [[Common pheasant|Pheasant]]s have been widely introduced and naturalized outside of their native range in Asia to Europe and North America for use as food and sport.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/game-fowl | title=Game birds, facts and photos | website=[[National Geographic Society]] | date=23 November 2022 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Benson, D. (1999): ''Presbyornis isoni'' and other late Paleocene birds from North Dakota. ''Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology'' '''69''': 253–266.
*Chubb, A. (2004): ''New nuclear evidence for the oldest divergence among neognath birds: the phylogenetic utility of ZENK(i)''. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '''30''': 140–151
*Feduccia, A. (1999): ''The Origin and Evolution of Birds, Second Edition''. Yale University Press, New Haven.
*Kriegs, Jan Ole; Matzke, Andreas; Churakov, Gennady; Kuritzin, Andrej; Mayr, Gerald; Brosius, Jürgen & Schmitz, Jürgen (2007): ''Waves of genomic hitchhikers shed light on the evolution of gamebirds (Aves: Galliformes)''. ''BMC Evolutionary Biology'' '''7''': 190 ([http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/7/190/ Fulltext]).
*Kulikova, Irina V.; Drovetski, S.V.; Gibson, D.D.; Harrigan, R.J.; Rohwer, S.; Sorenson, Michael D.; Winker, K.; Zhuravlev, Yury N. & McCracken, Kevin G. (2005): ''Phylogeography of the Mallard'' (''Anas platyrhynchos''): ''Hybridization, dispersal, and lineage sorting contribute to complex geographic structure''. ''[[Auk (journal)|Auk]]'' 122 (3): 949–965. [English with Russian abstract] <small>[[Digital Object Identifier|DOI]]: 10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0949:POTMAP]2.0.CO;2</small> [https://web.archive.org/web/20080410135408/http://mercury.bio.uaf.edu/~kevin_mccracken/reprints/auk-122-949.pdf PDF fulltext]. Erratum: ''Auk'' 122 (4): 1309. <small>[[Digital Object Identifier|DOI]]: 10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0949:POTMAP]2.0.CO;2</small>
*Sibley, C.G.; Ahlquist, J.E. & Monroe, B.L. (1988): ''A classification of the living birds of the world based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies''. ''Auk'' '''105''': 409–423.

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|fowl}}
*{{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Fowl |short=x}}

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q853058}}

[[Category:Galloanserae|*]]
[[Category:Extant Maastrichtian first appearances]]
[[Category:Birds]]