Sumatras

Black Sumatra

The Sumatra or the Black Sumatra is a very elegant bird that originates from the Indonesian island that it was named after. There is much debating over the historical lineage of the Sumatra with some saying it is its own breed of Junglefowl and others saying it is a cross of the Green Junglefowl with one or many of the native domestic breeds of the Sumatran islands. Either way it is a very unique looking bird with shiny black feathers, low tail carriage and beautiful purple (also called gypsy) skin that gets darker with exposure to sunlight. Multiple spur growth is also a trademark of the breed with some roosters growing upwards of 5 spurs on each leg. These birds were also used as pit games early in their history with some success. They are a very beautiful bird that I enjoy very much.

The above picture is of my broodcock. He is a show winner in the Washington state area though I am not how many shows he has been in. He is a calm, well mannered rooster that is easy to handle.

Below is as closeup of the multiple spurs of my Sumatra cock. Some strains of Sumatra merely have multiple bumps on their legs that are called spurs but as you can see mine has two true spurs on each leg. Some cocks have up to 5 spurs on each leg though I am not sure how well developed they are.

Below you can see the beetle green plumage that is a true characteristic of the Sumatra.

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Preserving Living Links to the Jungle