Vulturine guineafowl

Vulturine guineafowl
Individual atSamburu National Reserve
Conservation status
Least Concern(IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Numididae
Genus:	Acryllium Gray, GR,1840
Species:	A. vulturinum
Binomial name
Acryllium vulturinum (Hardwicke,1834)

Thevulturine guineafowl(Acryllium vulturinum) is the largest extantspeciesofguineafowl.Systematically, it is only distantly related to other guineafowl genera. Its closest living relative, thewhite breasted guineafowl,Agelastes meleagridesinhabit primary forests in Central Africa. It is a member of thebirdfamilyNumididae,and is the only member of the genusAcryllium.It is a resident breeder in northeastAfrica,from southernEthiopiathroughKenyaand just into northernTanzania.

Description

Upper body

AtTsavo East National Park,Kenya

The vulturine guineafowl is a large (61–71 centimetres (24–28 in)) bird with a round body and small head. It has a longer wings, neck, legs and tail than other guineafowl. The adult has a bare blue face and black neck, and although all other guineafowl have unfeathered heads, this species looks particularly like avulturebecause of the long bare neck and head.

The slim neck projects from a cape of long, glossy, blue and white hackles. The breast is cobalt blue, and the rest of the body plumage is black, finely spangled with white. The wings are short and rounded, and the tail is longer than others in the familyNumididae.

The sexes are similar, although the female is usually slightly smaller than the male and with smaller tarsal spurs. Young birds are mainly grey-brown, with a duller blue breast and short hackles.

Behaviour

The vulturine guineafowl is agregariousspecies, forming flocks outside the breeding season typically of about 25 birds. This species' food is seeds and smallinvertebrates.This guineafowl is terrestrial and will run rather than fly when alarmed. Despite the open habitat, it tends to keep to cover, and roosts in trees. It makes loudchink-chink-chink-chink-chinkcalls.

It breeds in dry and open habitats with scattered bushes and trees, such assavannahor grassland. It usually lays 4–8 cream-coloured eggs in a well-hidden grass-lined scrape.

Further reading

• Pheasants, Partridges and Grouseby Madge and McGowan,ISBN0-7136-3966-0

External links

• [1]Avicultural Data and Images
• [2]BirdLife International Factsheet