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.

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.

Voice Text

"kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek...", "chenk-chenk-chenk", "CHER-cheeng, CHER-cheeng...", "ka-bak."

• Guineafowl have been introduced to control ticks that spread lyme disease.
• The Helmeted Guineafowl male will attempt to make themselves more intimidating to other males by raising their wings, bristling their feathers across the length of their body, and rushing towards their opponent with a gaping beak
• They may live 12 years in the wild.

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.

Artist

Chris Vest