Helmeted guineafowl

Description

Its body has an oval shape. It has blueish grey or pearl grey plumage with white, sequin shaped marks. It has a small head as well as a short, reddish-brown beak. Its skin is white, slightly blueish on the head, although with black marks. It has a bright red wattle.

Ethology

They are social birds and form flocks, which sometimes reach one thousand members. These groups travel several kilometres during the day, and at night they roost in trees to sleep. They are monogamous, but couples do not remain together outside of breeding season. The nest is a depression in the ground, covered with leaves and grass, normally located in areas of tall grass. They lay 6 to 14 eggs which are incubated for a period of 25 to 30 days.

Interesting facts

They originate from west-central Africa at the south of the Sahara, and although they were known by the Greeks and Romans, they have only recently been used for their meat.