Burmese Bantam
A true bantam breed recreated after near-extinction.
The Burmese Bantam, also known simply as the Burmese, is a British breed of bantam chicken that apparently originated in Myanmar (formerly Burma) in the latter part of the nineteenth century. It is a true bantam, meaning there is no corresponding large fowl. By the time of the First World War it was thought to be extinct, but surviving individuals were discovered in the 1970s and were bred with white Booted Bantams to recreate the breed.
- origin
- Myanmar (formerly Burma)
- type
- True bantam chicken
- first documented
- 1847
- recognized colour
- White (Poultry Club of Great Britain)
- status
- Re-established after near-extinction
Lore & Background
The Burmese Bantam is documented at least as far back as 1847, when it received a passing mention from Edward Blyth, curator of the museum of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. Charles Darwin used it as an example of a creeper chicken in his Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication of 1868, and also compared its bones to those of other chickens and jungle fowl; he collected a specimen now in the Natural History Museum of London. According to the Poultry Club of Great Britain, the Burmese derives from birds sent to the United Kingdom from Burma in the 1880s by an officer in the British Army. William Flamank Entwisle received one of these birds, apparently a carrier of the creeper gene, and bred from it. By the beginning of the First World War the breed was believed to be extinct.
Reader's Guide
The Burmese Bantam holds significance as a rare breed that narrowly escaped extinction and was revived through careful breeding in the 1970s. Its history includes early documentation by Edward Blyth and study by Charles Darwin, who used it as an example of a creeper chicken. The breed is a true bantam, smaller and lower to the ground than the similar Booted Bantam, with a small crest, short heavily feathered legs, a single comb, small earlobes, and drooping wattles. Only white is recognized by the Poultry Club of Great Britain, though a Dutch re-creation is black. The breed's re-establishment by Andrew Sheppy, who bred surviving individuals with white Booted Bantams, ensured its continued existence. An attempt in Holland to re-create the Burmese by cross-breeding other bantams did not closely resemble the birds shown in historic drawings by Harrison Weir and J.W. Ludlow. The Burmese Bantam remains a notable example of breed conservation and the importance of preserving genetic heritage in poultry.
Did You Know?
- Charles Darwin used the Burmese Bantam as an example of a creeper chicken in his 1868 work Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication.
- The breed was thought to be extinct by the time of the First World War, but surviving individuals were discovered in the 1970s.
- Andrew Sheppy bred the surviving Burmese with white Booted Bantams to recreate the breed.
- Only the white colour is recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain; a Dutch re-creation is black.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Burmese Bantam?
The Burmese Bantam is a true bantam chicken breed, meaning it has no large-fowl counterpart. It is classified as a British breed and was first documented in 1847.
Where did the Burmese Bantam originally come from?
Despite its British classification, the breed traces its roots to Myanmar (formerly Burma), where it apparently emerged in the latter half of the nineteenth century.
What happened to the Burmese Bantam between World War I and the 1970s?
By the time of the First World War the breed was widely believed to be extinct. It was not until the 1970s that surviving individuals were rediscovered, confirming the line had not been fully lost.
How was the Burmese Bantam re-established after its near-extinction?
Breeders crossed the surviving Burmese birds with white Booted Bantams to rebuild the population. This crossbreeding effort successfully recreated the breed as a stable, recognized line.
What colour is officially recognized for the Burmese Bantam?
The Poultry Club of Great Britain recognizes only the White variety of the Burmese Bantam.
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