Preta Lusitânica
{{Short description|Portuguese breed of chicken}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{use list-defined references|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{infobox poultry breed
| name = Preta Lusitânica
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| image_caption =
| status = {{ubl|FAO (2007): not at risk{{r|barb|p=93}}|DAD-IS (2024): not at risk{{r|dad}}}}
| altname =
| country = Portugal
| distribution = north-western Portugal
| standard =
| use = {{nobreak|dual-purpose, eggs and meat}}
| apa = no{{r|apa}}
| aba =
| ee = no{{r|ee}}
| pcgb = no{{r|pcgb}}
| maleweight = 2.5–3.0 kg{{r|dgav|p=209}}
| femaleweight = 1.7–2.5 kg{{r|dgav|p=209}}
| skincolour =
| eggcolour =
| comb = single
| note =
| type = Chicken
| latin = Gallus gallus domesticus
}}
The Preta Lusitânica is a Portuguese breed of domestic chicken. It is one of four Portuguese chicken breeds, the others being the Amarela, the Branca and the Pedrês Portuguesa.{{r|sprega}}
History
The Preta Lusitânica is a traditional breed of rural Portugal. It originated in the north-western part of the country, and is distributed mainly in that area. It was formerly reared in large numbers, but with the advent in the mid-twentieth century of high-yielding imported industrial strains of both meat-producing and egg-laying chickens, the population declined rapidly, to the point that by the early twenty-first century the breed was considered endangered, with fewer than two thousand breeding hens;{{r|dgav|p=208|soares}} a population of {{val|1500}} birds was reported in 2004.{{r|faocr|p=10}} By 2024 the total population had risen to an estimated {{val|15026|–|26370}} birds, with a breeding stock of {{val|6482}} hens and {{val|1337}} cocks distributed over approximately 250 farms.{{r|dad|sprega}} In 2024 its conservation status was listed as "not at risk".{{r|dad}}
The breed is included in the Ark of Taste of the international Fondazione Slow Food per la Biodiversità.{{r|slow}}
Characteristics
The Preta Lusitânica is found in only one colour variant, the black which gives it its name; this may have a metallic blue-green sheen, particularly on the hackles, back, wings and tail of cock birds.{{r|dgav|p=209}} The comb is single, with five or six points; the face, comb and earlobes are all bright red. The shanks are unfeathered and are dark slate in colour, as is the beak.{{r|dgav|p=209}} Body weights are in the range {{val|2.5|–|3.0|u=kg}} for cocks and {{val|1.7|–|2.5|u=kg}} for hens; ring sizes are {{val|16|u=mm}} and {{val|14|u=mm}} respectively.{{r|dgav|p=209}}