Guinea fowl are ground-nesting birds that live in Africa. Probably the most well-known species is the helmeted guinea fowl. About the size of a chicken, this bird has a small, featherless head and a round, grey-black body that is speckled with white.
Fun facts about the helmeted guinea fowl
Close up of a helmeted guinea fowl head. Image by tjeerd, via iNaturalist (CC BY-NC).
Need a pest removal service?
Due to their taste for pests, guinea fowl have become popular domestic birds around the world. If you have a tick problem, backyard guinea fowl are your friends. Their diet also includes insects, spiders, worms, slugs, snails, and seeds too.
Credit: Brookfield Zoo
Noisy neighbors
Guinea fowl are group-living birds. They chatter to stay in touch. They also make alarm calls to alert each other to predators, like snakes or leopards.
A group of guinea fowl is called a confusion.
Guinea fowl on the run. Image by Herman Berteler, via iNaturalist (CC BY-NC).
Speedy surprise
Guinea fowl are excellent runners. They run fast and move well on uneven terrain. Yes, they can fly too!
Did you know? Scientists study guinea fowl to learn more about human locomotion.
Baby guinea fowl are striped. Image by Stuart Shearer, via iNaturalist (CC BY-NC).
Cute as keets!
Unlike their speckled parents, baby guinea fowl have stripes. Their stripes and brown coloration are a good camouflage and help protect the babies — called keets — from predators.
Learn more
Animal Diversity Web: Helmeted guinea fowl fact sheet
