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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
helmeted
guineafowl |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Aves |
| ORDER: |
Galliformes |
| FAMILY: |
Phasianidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Numida
(old Roman name for northwest Africa) meleagris
(guinea-fowl) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
The
head and neck of the helmeted guineafowl are bare,
but there may be a wattle. The bill is short and
stout; the body is stocky and black and dotted uniformly
with white spots; and the wings are medium sized
and rounded. |
| MALE |
The
wattle on the male is much larger than on the female. |
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| SIZE: |
Approximately
42.5-47.5 cm (17-19 in) long |
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| WEIGHT: |
Up
to 1.8 kg (4 lbs) |
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| DIET: |
Includes
seeds, roots, tubers, grubs, rodents, small reptiles,
and crawling insects; occasionally feeds on vegetation
and fruits |
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| INCUBATION: |
26-28 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
7-20
eggs |
| FLEDGING
DURATION |
10
weeks |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
Approximately
2 years |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Approximately
15 years |
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| RANGE: |
Madagascar,
Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda |
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| HABITAT: |
Inhabits
forest, brush, and grassland |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
The
helmeted guineafowl is capable of strong flight,
but it is mainly terrestrial often choosing to
run rather than fly. It typically roosts in trees.
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| 2. |
Pairs
remain monogamous. This diurnal bird calls with
a rasping, stuttering, grating "keerrrr".
Lives in flocks of up to hundreds of birds, and
forages on open ground. |
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| 3. |
Guineafowl
are both monomorphic and monochromatic
- meaning both sexes look and act alike. |
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| 4. |
Guineafowl
are found in Greek mythology. Meleagros was the
son of Oeneus, king of Calydon. According to legend,
upon his death, his sisters were transformed to
guineafowl. |
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| The
ancient Romans domesticated guineafowl for food.
These birds are still kept domestically and also
hunted today. |
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|
| Gotch,
A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained.
Poole, Dorst: Blandford Press, 1981. |
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| Delacour,
J. The Pheasants of the World. 2nd ed. World
Pheasant Association and Spur Publications, Hindhead,
U.K. 1977. |
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|
Perrins,
Dr. C. M. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds:
The Definitive Reference to Birds of the World.
New York: Prentice Hall Press. 1990.
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| http://www.xmission.com/~hoglezoo/birds/guinfwl.htm |
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