Guineafowl
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| Family: | Numididae de Sélys Longchamps, 1842
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The guineafowl are a family of birds in the same order as the pheasants, turkeys and other game birds. They are also widely known as guineahens, (a term formerly applied to the turkey).
This is an African family of insect and seed-eating, ground-nesting birds resembling partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. They are monogamous, mating for life. At least three of the species are poorly studied.
The Helmeted Guineafowl has been domesticated and introduced outside its natural range, for example in southern France and the West Indies.
Species
- White-breasted Guineafowl, Agelastes meleagrides
- Black Guineafowl, Agelastes niger
- Helmeted Guineafowl, Numida meleagris
- Plumed Guineafowl, Guttera plumifera
- Crested Guineafowl, Guttera pucherani
- Vulturine Guineafowl, Acryllium vulturinum
Domesticated guineafowl
Guineafowl have a long history of domestication, mainly involving the Helmeted Guineafowl. They lay 25-30 eggs in a deep, tapering nest. Their eggs are small, dark and extremely thick shelled. The hens have a habit of hiding their nests, and sharing it with other hens until large numbers of eggs have accumulated. The incubation period is 26-28 days, and the chicks are called "keets." They are highly susceptible to damp (they are indigenous to the drier/arid regions of Africa) and can die from following the mother through dewy grass. Though, after their first two to six weeks of growth, they can be some of the hardiest domestic land fowl.
Sexing the birds is not as simple as telling a rooster from a hen chicken. When they are adults, the helmet and wattles of the male are larger than those of the female, and only the female makes the two-note cry "Buck-wheat!" Aside from that, however, the two sexes are mostly identical in appearance.
As domestics, guineas are valuable pest controllers, eating many insects. They are especially beneficial in controlling the lyme disease-carrying deer tick, as well as wasp nests. While they are rarely kept in large numbers, a few are sometimes kept with other fowl to be used as a security system against hawks. They will call with their loud, high shrieking voices if concerned about intruders. They are highly social birds, and hate to be alone.
Within the domesticated species, many color variations have been created aside from the "pearl" or natural color of the Helmeted Guinea. These include White, Purple, Slate, Chocolate, Lavender, and Coral blue as well as Bronze, Pewter, Buff Dundotte and even various Pieds.
References
- Madge and McGowan,Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse ISBN 0-7136-3966-0
- J.S. Ferguson, Gardening with Guineas ISBN 0-7392-0250-2 Thorough, well written book discussing all aspects of raising domesticated guineafowl
External links
- Worlds largest source for Guineafowl Links to a guinea fowl message board, chat room, guinea fowl book, hundreds of photographs and free information about raising guineas.
- Guineafowl videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Authoritative International Organization --vast membership base -- the Original Guinea Fowl Breeders Association--GFBA...The GFBA.org has everything you always wanted and needed to know about Guinea Fowl. All others are mere copycats.
- Guinea Fowl International Association (GFIA) for guinea fowl enthusiasts