FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Guinea fowl are birds of the family Numididae that live in Africa. And can be found in a range of six different species, with the helmeted guinea fowl being one of the most popular ones.
The helmeted species have been domesticated by humans and live in farms all around the world. Guinea fowl are chicken-like birds with and have featherless heads and necks.
These birds live in all different habitats around Africa. Most species live in grasslands or savanna, while some live in semiarid areas. Guinea fowl are omnivores and are social birds and live in flocks foraging for food together. Although wild guinea fowl are good flyers, they spend most of their time on the ground. They are also known to be monogamous or serially monogamous. Guinea fowl are ground-nesting birds which means they lay their eggs in ground nests. They are primarily domesticated as a food source, but they are also useful in hunting and eating pests that destroy crops on farms. So, for more information, read on for more fun facts and strange facts about guinea fowl!
For fun facts about other animals, take a look at hornbills and tawny owls.
Guinea fowl are birds belonging to the order of Galliformes, which include other birds like turkey, chicken, pheasant, and quail. Guineas are poultry animals.
They have a short, stout bill with rounded wings, large toes, and powerful claws.
Guinea fowl belong to the Aves class of animals. Aves class compromises the birds' species. These birds are bipedal, feathered, and endothermic egg-laying animals. Birds are found worldwide, and their size can range from 1.96 in (5 cm) (bee hummingbird) to 108.26 in (275 cm) (ostrich).
Birds make up the largest number of species on earth, and there are about 10,000 bird species that occupy all available habitats on earth.
The exact count of the number of guinea fowls found in the world is hard to pinpoint. But it's believed that there are at least 10,000 vulturine guineas (biggest species of guinea fowl) left in the wild.
Guinea fowl are found all across Africa; they mainly live in the sub-Saharan regions, some of them can be found in the entire sub-Saharan region.
Guinea fowls prefer to live in semiopen habitats like savanna or semideserts, while the species of black guinea fowl inhabit forests, with some perching high on treetops.
They now make up a great group of domesticated and wild birds. Today, these birds are raised on farms around the world for their meat and eggs, much like chickens.
Guinea fowls are quick to adapt to their surroundings and can occur in different habitats all across Africa. Different species live in different habitats, which can range from grasslands, savannas to semiarid regions. Some species only live in forests or heavily forested regions, while several species share habitats and ranges. Six species of this animal can be found primarily to the south of the Sahara Desert. However, they have been artificial introductions to different regions of the world by humans.
Guinea fowl are creatures that exist in packs by nature and will feel isolated if they are alone. They live in flocks and like company and might get stressed out when they can't find other guineas around them to live with.
In cases of being raised on a farm, they can co-exist with other farm animals like chickens.
The average lifespan of guinea fowls is around 10-15 years. Pesticides, diseases, loss of suitable habitat, poaching, especially in Africa, and low food resources might play a role in the life expectancy of this animal.
The helmeted guinea fowl, the most closely studied and well-understood species of the bird, forms a close monogamous bond with a single mate over its lifetime. Their nest can contain up to 20 eggs in one batch, with an incubation period of 26-28 days. These nests are actually communal in nature and can contain eggs of multiple pairs.
Unlike the chicken, they are guided by seasons and the climate and do not lay eggs in extreme hot or cold weather, favoring the spring and summer, mostly after the annual height of rainfall, which leaves an abundance of resources. After their first batch of eggs, they take a break and lay eggs again; they lay eggs four times a year.
And just like the chicken, they can lay eggs without the need for a male guinea.
As of now, guineas are classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List (International Union For Conservation Of Nature) because of their extensive range and abundance. The only exception being the white-breasted guinea fowl which is vulnerable to extinction.
Since these birds are adaptive to several habitats and circumstances, from plains to forest, they can exist without many problems, excluding predators who go for the nest and then them. Human intervention in the wild actually helps them as humans hunt and eliminate larger predators that may prey on guinea fowls.
Domestication of the helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) has also helped in better preservation and conservation of these birds in the wild since we use the domesticated ones for meat and egg.
The seed and insect-eating guinea fowls have a featherless head. And can range in multiple colors and patterns depending on the subspecies they belong to. They have big curved bodies with short beaks and long necks. Their heads are usually covered with a combination of red, blue, tan, or brown color.
Most species of guineas have a blackish or grey plumage accompanied by dense white spots. The Plumed guinea fowl and the Crested guinea fowl have a distinctive black crest, and vulturine guinea fowls have a brown patch on the nape.
White-breasted guinea fowl and black guinea fowl are not well known, so a proper description is hard to find.
Guinea fowl babies are the definition of cuteness! But adults not so much, as they look weird with their featherless heads and droopy wattles. And sadly, the fact that guineas aren't the brightest of animals doesn't help them in gaining cuteness points!
Guinea fowl sounds are divided into three categories! The basic form of communication is a sweet and gentle chirping sound.
The second form of communication is the one where hens make a buckwheat sound which is translated as them wanting attention. Males are quiet in comparison to females and content with just chirping.
The final form of communication is as loud as noises can get! These calls are similar to a siren and are used mainly to issue warnings.
Vulturine guinea fowls are the largest and prettiest species of the guineas, native to eastern Africa. They can grow from 24.01 in - 27.95 in (61 cm – 71 cm), with the Black guinea fowl being the smallest of the species standing at about 16.53 in (42 cm) in length.
Guineas learn to fly at a very young age and are strong fliers that can reach 133.33 yd - 166.66 yd easily at a time. Guineas are also excellent at running and mostly prefer to move on foot in cases like running away from predators.
Guineas are small avians and are not too much bigger than domestic chickens. The largest species of the guinea fowl, the Vulturine guinea fowl, can weigh anywhere from 2.2 lb - 3.5 lb (1 kg - 1.6 kg), and the lightest are the black guinea fowl that can weigh from a mere 24.69 oz (700g) and can reach up to 3.5 lb (1.6kg).
Male guineas are called cocks, and females are called hens.
A baby guinea fowl is called a keet.
Male guineas under one year of age are called guinea cockerel, and female guineas under the age of one year are called guinea pullet.
Guinea fowl is an omnivore, meaning they it eats animal and plant. Their diet mainly consists of insects, rodents, reptiles, roots, and fruits. The helmeted guinea fowl is known for its humongous appetite hence, making great pest killers in domestic surroundings.
No. These creatures are harmless. They are a nuisance to care for, though! But don't come anywhere near to being dangerous.
Guineas are excellent pets! They are nature's pest control and are a welcome addition to any farm and other domestic habitats. They eat insects, are low maintenance, and are great foragers.
Guineas are goofy animals and to watch them act and run around is free entertainment!
A flock of guineas who have sensed a predator can be so loud that their noises are almost deafening!
Guineas don't have a sense of boundaries and will run off in search of food!
Guineas are crazy fast! They usually run at a max speed of around 22 mph!
Guineas are low maintenance as their diet mainly comprises small annoying harmful pests. A flock of guinea can actually kill a snake!
The helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) is the species that has been domesticated and is the best known of the guinea fowl species.
Guinea fowl eggs are more nutritional in comparison to eggs from chickens. They are rich in protein, fat and are a great source of vitamin A!
But to get to the eggs, you have to work hard! Guinea hens will make you hunt for their eggs as they hide them. They also do this in order to stealthily hatch their eggs.
Flocks of guineas will kill and eat small rodents, and in addition to that, they are used to contain the spread of insects on a farm. They can forage through a large number of insects without harming the vegetation. They are also a great source of controlling wood ticks and deer ticks, the latter carrying Lyme disease. Flocks of guineas are also known to be able to kill snakes.
In addition to being nature's pest control, they are also great at making the presence of predators known with their loud noises and make the other farm take notice and hide.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including nightingales and frigates.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our guinea fowls coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.