Helmeted Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
Also known as: Guinea Fowl, Helmeted Guinea-Fowl, Tufted Guineafowl
Habitat
Ground
Diet
PlantSeed
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
1.3 kg
About This Species
Found in flocks foraging on open ground in savanna, grassland and cultivated areas across sub-Saharan Africa, scratching through leaf litter and soil for seeds and insects, usually in noisy groups rather than alone. Early morning and late afternoon, when flocks move out to feed in open areas before retreating to cover, are the most reliable times to see it well.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A common and often semi-domesticated species in parts of its range with no special protections beyond general wildlife law; flocks are usually tolerant of vehicles and moderate distances but will run rather than fly if approached too closely on foot, so a slow, indirect approach from a vehicle typically gives the best views with least disturbance.
LCAvesGalliformesNumididae
Seasonal Activity
442,842 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Numididae
Traits
- Diet
- PlantSeed
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 1.3 kg
Photo
(c) Tarique Sani, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.