About
The guinea fowl is a small, spotted ground bird known for its distinctive helmeted head and its loud, ever-watchful alarm calls.
Birds
Guinea Fowl
Numida meleagris
Guinea fowl move in small flocks around the grounds.
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Numididae
At a Glance
Quick Facts
- Life Span
- 10 - 15 years
- Size
- About 53 - 58 cm long
- Diet
- Omnivore - seeds, insects, and small invertebrates
- Habitat
- Grassland, farmland, and open woodland
- Native Range
- Sub-Saharan Africa; domesticated worldwide
- Trivia
- Guinea fowl are known for their loud alarm calls when they sense danger.
A Helmeted Look
The helmeted guineafowl is easy to pick out from other farm birds thanks to the bony, helmet-like casque on top of its head and its dark, white-speckled feathers. Bare, brightly colored skin on the face and neck adds to its distinctive appearance among poultry.
Diet and Daily Life
Guinea fowl are active foragers that spend much of the day walking and pecking through grass and undergrowth for seeds, insects, and small invertebrates. Because insects make up a good share of their diet, guinea fowl are often valued around farms for the natural pest control they provide.
Social and Family Life
Guinea fowl move and roost in tight flocks and are famously alert, sounding a loud, repetitive alarm call the moment something unfamiliar approaches. That same watchfulness is why they are sometimes kept alongside other farm animals as a kind of natural early-warning system.
Mini Zoo
