Guinea fowl are birds that are compared with chickens. They are from the family Numididae and belong to the Galliformes order, along with chicken, peacock, and turkey.
While there are different types of guinea fowl, we’ll discuss six of them in this article.
Guinea fowl are endemic and found in warm and tropical forests, scrublands, farmlands, and sub-Saharan Africa.
They resemble chicken and serve as meat. Also, they are most widespread among other species.
Moreover, guinea fowl are very versatile and have time for their production.
They lay eggs like chickens but have their own time of laying based on the climate.
Guinea fowls are significant, with the females slightly heavier than the males.
They live in groups, various large flocks, and maximum mate for life.
Let us discuss six types of Guinea fowls. Keep reading!!!
1. Black Guinea Fowl
The black guinea fowl is also among the types of guinea fowl. They are easy to manage and do not require ample space for rearing like other birds.
So, non-experienced farmers can raise black guinea fowl and rest assured that their birds will be safe.
You’ll find black guinea fowls in many countries in West Central Africa, including Angola, Gabon, Nigeria, Congo, and Cameron.
They are shyer than the other types, live in small groups or pairs, and are disease-resistant.
Black guinea fowls feed on insects, seeds, tiny frogs, tapeworms, and other forest vegetation.
They like to hide in forests and prefer thick forest floors to spots. Further, they are 17 inches high with black bodies and redheads.
2. Plumed Fowl
The plumed guinea fowl is a gaming bird found in America but mainly in central Africa.
It is a large bird with white marks, black feathers, and a striking large plume of black feathers on its head.
The plumed guinea fowl is 17 inches high, a shy bird, poor in flying, and has always been hidden on the forest floor. But recently, people have started rearing it in the farm’s backyard.
However, due to its shy and discreet nature, the plumed guinea fowl might never be fully domesticated like other guinea fowl birds.
3. White-Breasted Guinea Fowl
The white-breasted guinea fowl originated in subtropical West African forests.
It is classified as vulnerable often because its rapid population worsened over the last three generations. So, it is at risk of becoming extinct.
The medium-sized white-breasted guinea fowl is around 17 inches in length and can weigh up to 4 kilograms.
However, the sizes of male and female white-breasted are highly different.
The white-breasted guinea fowl live in groups of at least 20 and grow better on farmland when there are many.
Also, it might not be quiet because it calls out whenever it warns about something new.
4. Vulturine Guinea Fowl
Vulturine guinea fowl are found in northeast Africa, from southern Ethiopia through Kenya.
This type of guinea fowl bird is the largest species of guinea fowl. It has a bright blue color and white streaks with a little white dot on the back feathers.
Vulturine guinea fowl is one of the unique varieties of guineas. They live in large, sexually mixed groups (male and female), with a particular preference for certain other groups.
The vulturine guinea fowl can also fly but prefer running when in danger.
They always fight each other to death regarding food and roosting places because they always roost on a tree at night.
These species are strong and can survive long without drinking water.
Also, they differ from other species and feed on many foods, like insects, fruits, rodents, seeds, and some reptiles.
5. Helmeted Guinea Fowl
The helmeted guinea fowl is a unique and easily recognizable native bird of Africa.
They are predominately ground scavengers, where they almost spend their time, and they have been widely domesticated.
You can find this species worldwide on farmland for rearing as meat and food and also serve as farmer income.
Also, helmeted guinea fowls prefer walking to flying and can walk up to 10km daily. It’s not that they can’t fly, but they always fly and run when they are in danger.
They feed on rodents, fruits, insects, roots, potatoes, and reptiles. Helmet guinea fowls also feed on ticks; that’s why farmers raise them in the area where ticks disturb cows.
Moreover, they live in a large group of fewer than 30 pieces.
6. Crested Guinea Fowl
The crested guinea fowl is the last on our list of types of guinea fowl. It is one of the giant birds on the ground in South Africa.
Also, it is among the members of Numididae, the family of guinea fowl. It has rare black hair on the top of its head and is small-headed.
This guinea fowl has a ridiculous-looking plum above the neck face, which is ivory colored bill and red eye.
It has three significant colors on its body: red, blue, and black, but it depends on each geographical area.
Crested guinea fowl feed on many plants and animals, scratching through elephant and rhino dung. Also, it always looks for undigested seeds and insects.
However, they can fly 100m before they land, and they are solid and fast but not sustainable, so they fly to avoid predators.
Crested Guinea is known to be on lowland, woodland, and in the forest.