Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Gurney's Helmeted Guineafowl

While visiting Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden outside of Cape Town, South Africa we encountered another one of the nine subspecies of helmeted guineafowl, the Gurney's helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris coronata), or at least I believe this is that subspecies. 
Gurney's helmeted guineafowl near Cape Town, South Africa. 
This one has a smaller helmet. I'm assuming it may be a younger bird and that the helmet must grow with age. 
A front view showing its wattles sticking out. 

It is found in eastern and central South Africa and western Swaziland. In recent years flocks of guineafowl have appeared in the northern and eastern suburbs of Cape Town, an area outside their normal range. That is part of what we were seeing. 

1 comment:

  1. I grew to really love these awkward speckled birds, and now I see "guinea fowl" polka dots everywhere--fabrics, floor patterns, etc.

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