Guineafowl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Image:Helmeted guineafowl kruger.jpg Helmeted Guineafowl, Numida meleagris
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The guineafowl are a family of birds in the same order as the pheasants, turkeys and other game birds. They are also widely known as guineahens, (a term formerly applied to the turkey).
This is an African family of insect and seed-eating, ground-nesting birds resembling partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. They are monogamous, mating for life. At least three of the species are poorly studied.
The Helmeted Guineafowl has been domesticated and introduced outside its natural range, for example in southern France and the West Indies.
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[edit] List of species in taxonomic order
- White-breasted Guineafowl, Agelastes meleagrides
- Black Guineafowl, Agelastes niger
- Helmeted Guineafowl, Numida meleagris
- Plumed Guineafowl, Guttera plumifera
- Crested Guineafowl, Guttera pucherani
- Vulturine Guineafowl, Acryllium vulturinum
[edit] Domesticated guineafowl
Guineafowl have a long history of domestication, mainly involving the Helmeted Guineafowl.
[edit] References
- Madge and McGowan,Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse ISBN 0-7136-3966-0
[edit] External links
- Guineafowl videos on the Internet Bird Collectionda:Perlehøns
de:Perlhühner es:Numididae fr:Pintade nl:Parelhoenders pl:Perliczka pt:Numididae ru:Цесарковые fi:Helmikanat ja:ホロホロチョウ
