Overview
Helmeted Guineafowl: A large bird with a unique blue, featherless head and neck, and a brown bony casque. They also have red facial appendages and black filoplumes on their hindneck. They are primarily black with white speckles or spots. They live in woodlands and are omnivorous.
Range and Habitat
Helmeted Guineafowl: Native to the Africa continent, where they are found in many countries south of the Sahara desert. This species has been introduced to many parts of the world, including the Caribbean. At this time there are no known feral populations in the United States, although they are kept in many parks, farms, and backyards where they free roam.
Guineafowls (Numididae)
ORDER
Terrestrial ground birds from five families, including megapodes, quails, guineafowls, and the familiar domestic chicken are members of the GALLIFORMES (pronounced gal-i-FOR-meez).
FAMILY TAXONOMY
The guineafowls are placed in the Numididae (pronounced new-MI-
di-dee), a group of six species in four genera found in Africa, one species, the Helmeted Guineafowl, has been introduced to other parts of the world.
NORTH AMERICA
North America has one species of Numididae in one genus, the introduced Helmeted Guineafowl.
KNOWN FOR
Guineafowls are known for their terrestrial habits, unfeathered and ornate heads, and forming flocks that follow herd animals.
PHYSICAL
Members of the Numididae are medium-sized stocky ground birds with stout bills used for picking small creatures, seeds, and fruits off the ground. They have short broad wings, strong legs and feet, and very shot tails.
COLORATION
Members of this family are mostly black or black-gray with some white or blue, and have brightly colored ornate heads that can be red-pink, gray, or blue.
GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT
Guineafowl species can be found in tropical rainforest and open savannah habitats, as well as second growth, and, in some areas, parklands.
MIGRATION
None of the guineafowl species are migrants; all occur as permanent residents and roam over established territories.
HABITS
Guineafowls are gregarious birds that are rarely seen alone, and even roost together as a flock. In Africa, they are often seen foraging in groups behind troupes of monkeys or ungulates to feed on small creatures stirred out of hiding.
CONSERVATION
The Helmeted Guineafowl and other guineafowl species of open habitats are common. However, two species that live in tropical rainforests of western Africa are in decline because of deforestation and unsustainable hunting, and one of those, the White-breasted Guineafowl, has an IUCN conservation rating of Vulnerable.
INTERESTING FACTS
Guineafowls are an excellent means of controlling populations of small undesirable creatures such as ticks, scorpions, and locusts. The Helmeted Guineafowl can act as a “watch dog” by calling loudly at the presence of intruders. In parts of Cape Town, South Africa, Helmeted Guineafowls have become adapted to urban life and roost on the roofs of houses in some areas.