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A large-bodied, small-headed, slaty-gray gamebird perfectly lined with rows of hundreds of white spots.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyGuineafowl
SizeLarge
RarityUncommon
HabitatTimbered edges, open forest, suburban gardens with mature trees, and lightly wooded scrub.
Best timeReported across most months in Queensland, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by African Bioacoustics Community
Range map
Range map
983visible hotspots
7900visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
The distinctive head sports a strange bone-like casque and naked warty facial skin, which is colored white, blue, or red depending on geographic location. Young birds are brown and are almost always found with adults. Guineafowl often behave like lunatics, charging around issuing a loud and distinctive “kek-kek-kek-kraaaaaaah” alarm. Crested Guineafowl differ from Helmeted Guineafowl by being darker and having a plumed crest on top of the head.
Behavior
It is common throughout its range, and large flocks roam the savannas, digging for invertebrates and tubers. It also calls a distinctive, plaintive “kuuuh-keeerk”.
Gallery