Guineafowl (; sometimes called "pet speckled hens" or "original fowl") are
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s of the family Numididae in the order
Galliformes
Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are ofte ...
. They are endemic to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and rank among the oldest of the gallinaceous birds.
Phylogenetically
In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups ...
, they branched off from the core Galliformes after the
Cracidae (chachalacas, guans, and curassows) and before the Odontophoridae (
New World quail). An
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', ...
fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
lineage ''
Telecrex
''Telecrex'' is an extinct genus of birds related to guineafowl, containing two species, ''Telecrex grangeri'' (the type species) and ''Telecrex peregrinus''. ''T. grangeri'' is known from a single partial femur from Eocene deposits in Inner Mong ...
'' has been associated with guineafowl; ''Telecrex'' inhabited
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million ...
, and may have given rise to the oldest of the true
phasianids, such as
blood pheasant
The blood pheasant (''Ithaginis cruentus''), also known as blood partridge, is the only species in genus ''Ithaginis'' of the pheasant family. It is a relatively small, short-tailed pheasant that is widespread and is fairly common in eastern Him ...
s and
eared pheasants, which
evolved
Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variati ...
into high-altitude, montane-adapted species with the rise of the
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central, South and East Asia covering most of the Ti ...
. While modern guineafowl species are endemic to Africa, the
helmeted guineafowl has been
introduced as a domesticated bird widely elsewhere.
Taxonomy and systematics
This is a list of guineafowl
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...
, presented in
taxonomic order.
Phylogeny
Cladogram based on a study by De Chen and collaborators published in 2021.
Description
The
insect
Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pa ...
- and seed-eating, ground-nesting birds of this family resemble
partridges, but with featherless heads, though both members of the genus ''Guttera'' have a distinctive black
crest, and the vulturine guineafowl has a downy brown patch on the nape. Most species of guineafowl have a dark grey or blackish
plumage
Plumage ( "feather") is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, ...
with dense white spots, but both members of the genus ''Agelastes'' lack the spots. While several species are relatively well known, the plumed guineafowl and the two members of the genus ''Agelastes'' remain relatively poorly known. These large birds measure in length, and weigh . Guinea hens weigh more than guinea cocks, possibly because of the larger reproductive organs in the female compared to the male guinea fowl. Also, the presence of relatively larger egg clusters in the dual-purpose guinea hens may be a factor that contributes to the higher body weight of the guinea hens.
Behaviour and ecology
The species for which information is known are normally
monogamous
Monogamy ( ) is a form of dyadic relationship in which an individual has only one partner during their lifetime. Alternately, only one partner at any one time ( serial monogamy) — as compared to the various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., pol ...
, mating for life, or are serially
monogamous
Monogamy ( ) is a form of dyadic relationship in which an individual has only one partner during their lifetime. Alternately, only one partner at any one time ( serial monogamy) — as compared to the various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., pol ...
; however, occasional exceptions have been recorded for helmeted and Kenya crested guineafowl, which have been reported to be
polygamous
Crimes
Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is marri ...
in captivity. All guineafowl are social, and typically live in small groups or large flocks. Though they are monogamous, species of the least-derived genera ''
Guttera
''Guttera'' is a genus of birds in the family Numididae. Established by Johann Georg Wagler in 1832, it contains two species:
* Plumed guineafowl, ''Guttera plumifera''
* Crested guineafowl, ''Guttera pucherani''
The name ''Guttera'' is a co ...
'', ''
Agelastes
''Agelastes'' is a small genus of birds in the guineafowl family. It comprises two species:
* White-breasted guineafowl, ''A. meleagrides''
* Black guineafowl
The black guineafowl (''Agelastes niger'') is a member of the guineafowl bird family ...
'', and ''
Acryllium'' tend toward social
polyandry
Polyandry (; ) is a form of polygamy in which a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time. Polyandry is contrasted with polygyny, involving one male and two or more females. If a marriage involves a plural number of "husbands and wives" ...
, a trait shared with other primitive galliforms such as
roul roul, and
Congo peafowl.
Guineafowl travel behind herd animals and beneath
monkey
Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as the simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes, which constitutes an incomple ...
troops, where they forage within manure and on items that have fallen to the
understory from the
canopy. They play a pivotal role in the control of
tick
Ticks (order Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids that are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, species, and "fullness". Ticks are external parasites, living ...
s,
flies,
locusts,
scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
s, and other
invertebrates
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordat ...
. They pluck
maggot
A maggot is the larva of a fly (order Diptera); it is applied in particular to the larvae of Brachycera flies, such as houseflies, cheese flies, and blowflies, rather than larvae of the Nematocera, such as mosquitoes and crane flies.
En ...
s from carcasses and manure.
Wild guineafowl are strong flyers. Their breast muscles are dark (aerobic metabolism), enabling them to sustain themselves in flight for considerable distances if hard-pressed. Grass and bush fires are a constant threat to them and flight is the most effective escape.
Some species of guineafowl, like the vulturine, may go without drinking water for extended periods, instead sourcing their moisture from their food. Young guineafowl (called keets) are very sensitive to weather, in particular cold temperatures.
Guinea hens are not known to be good mothers, but in the wild, the guinea hen's mate (a guinea cock) may help tend the young keets during the day by keeping them warm and finding food. Sometimes, more than one cock helps raise the young. Guineafowl (hens and cocks together) make good parents. During warm weather, the cock is unlikely to set on the keets during the night (leaving that duty to the hen), but may help the hen keep them warm at night when temperatures drop below freezing.
Guineafowl may be trained to go into a coop (instead of roosting in trees) when very young. Once hatched and ready to leave the brooder (around 3 weeks), they may be enclosed in a coop for at least 3 days so they learn where "home" is. When guinea parents (that already roost in a coop) raise their own keets, the hen sets on them outdoors at night, but then the parents teach the keets to also go into the coop in the evenings around 3 weeks of age.
Each sex has a different call, which can be used to differentiate between female and male. Unlike chickens (which generally do best with one rooster for a flock of hens), guinea fowl do well with one cock for each hen.
Guineafowl have been shown to act as a deterrent to foxes.
Due to the spread of
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a vector-borne disease caused by the '' Borrelia'' bacterium, which is spread by ticks in the genus '' Ixodes''. The most common sign of infection is an expanding red rash, known as erythema ...
from ticks, Guineafowl are often kept because they will eat the ticks.
Distribution and habitat
Guineafowl species are found across
sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
, some almost in the entire range, others more localized, such as the
plumed guineafowl in west-central Africa and the
vulturine guineafowl
The vulturine guineafowl (''Acryllium vulturinum'') is the largest extant species of guineafowl. Systematically, it is only distantly related to other guineafowl genera. Its closest living relative, the white breasted guineafowl, ''Agelastes ...
in north-east Africa. They live in semiopen habitats such as
savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground ...
or
semidesert
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
s, while some, such as the
black guineafowl
The black guineafowl (''Agelastes niger'') is a member of the guineafowl bird family. It occurs in humid forests in Central Africa. It is a medium-sized black bird with a bare, pink head and upper neck. Little is known of its behaviour.
Descript ...
, mainly inhabit forests. Some perch high on treetops.
The helmeted guinea fowl has been introduced in
East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historica ...
,
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
, the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
, the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
,
Britain, and
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, where it is raised as food or pets.
Guineafowl as food
Guineafowl meat is moist, firmer and leaner than
chicken meat and has a slight gamey flavour. It has marginally more protein than chicken or
turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
, roughly half the fat of chicken and slightly less
food energy per gram. Their eggs are substantially richer than those of chickens.
Image:Crested guineafowl mkuze.jpg, Crested guineafowl in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
Image:Acryllium vulturinum Schönbrunn2008c.jpg, Head of a vulturine guineafowl
The vulturine guineafowl (''Acryllium vulturinum'') is the largest extant species of guineafowl. Systematically, it is only distantly related to other guineafowl genera. Its closest living relative, the white breasted guineafowl, ''Agelastes ...
Image:Numida meleagris.jpg, Helmeted guineafowl in Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
File:DEGAN Gabin ( guinea pigs).jpg, Guineafowl in Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...
References
Further reading
* Madge and McGowan, ''Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse''.
* Martínez, I. (1994). "Family Numididae (Guineafowl)", p. 554–570 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. ''Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 2. New World Vultures to Guineafowl''. Lynx Edicions,
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
.
External links
Guineafowl videoson the Internet Bird Collection
Early Birds: Guinea Fowl by Dennis Headley
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guineafowl
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