Helmeted Guineafowl

## Description

The Helmeted guineafowl is an exotic and easily recognizable bird native to Africa. It is a large bird with a round body and a small head. Its body plumage is gray-black spangled with white. The head is unfeathered and decorated with a dull yellow or reddish bony knob, and bare skin with red, blue or black hues. The wings are short and rounded, and the tail is likewise short.

## Distribution

Helmeted guineafowl are native to Africa and are found mainly in the south of the Sahara. They are sedentary and breed in warm, fairly dry and open habitats with scattered shrubs and trees such as savanna or farmland.

## Behavior

Helmeted guineafowl are gregarious; they form flocks outside the breeding season typically of about 25 birds that also roost communally. These birds are terrestrial and prefer to run rather than fly when alarmed. They have a short-lived explosive flight and rely on gliding to cover extended distances. Helmeted guineafowl can walk 10 km and more in a day and are great runners. They make loud harsh calls when disturbed. Helmeted guineafowl are diurnal and their day starts with the trip to a water hole and then the flock if off to feed. Guineafowl have strong claws and scratch in loose soil for food much like domestic chickens, although they seldom uproot growing plants in so doing. During the midday heat, birds rest in shades and may have a dust bath.

## Diet

Helmeted guineafowl are omnivores. Their diet consists of a variety of animal and plant food; these birds eat seeds, fruits, greens, snails, spiders, worms and insects, frogs, lizards, small snakes, and small mammals.

## Reproduction

Helmeted guineafowl are monogamous and mate for life. During the breeding season, males often show aggression towards each other and will partake in aggressive fighting which may leave other males bloodied and otherwise injured. They will attempt to make themselves look more fearsome by raising their wings upwards from their sides and bristling their feathers across the length of the body, and they may also rush towards their opponent with a gaping beak. The nest is a well-hidden, generally unlined scrape. The female lays a clutch of 6 to 12 eggs which she incubates for 26-28 days. They chicks, called keets are precocial at hatching and are able to leave the nest within few hours and forage for themselves. The young fledge around 10-14 days after hatching but usually stay with their parents for 50-75 days before becoming independent. They become reproductively mature at 2 years of age.

## Population

### Population threats

Helmeted guineafowl are not threatened globally. However, these birds suffer from habitat loss, hunting for food and persecution from farmers. Domestic dogs and cats are also responsible for declines in this species numbers.

### Population number

According to the Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) resource, the total population size of the Helmeted guineafowl is over 1,000,000 birds. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today remain stable.

## Fun Facts

Helmeted guineafowl have been widely introduced into the West Indies, Brazil, Australia, and Europe.

Helmeted guineafowl are often domesticated, and it is this species that is sold in Western supermarkets.

It has been noted that domesticated guineafowl hens are not the best of mothers, and often abandon their nests.

Flocks of Helmeted guineafowl have adapted remarkably well in the northern and southern suburbs of Cape Town. Flocks wander slowly along the quieter suburban roads while foraging on the grassy 'pavements' and in gardens where the fence is low enough for some to enter without feeling separated from their flock. At night they often roost on the roofs of bungalows. While residents generally appreciate the local wildlife, they can be a nuisance, obstructing traffic and making a lot of noise in the early morning during the mating season.

Helmeted guineafowl often use the same roosting site for long periods of time and their droppings under this site may pile up to 1 foot (30 cm)!