Crested Guineafowl

About the Crested Guineafowl

The eastern crested guinea fowl (Guttera pucherani) is a species of guinea fowl native to East Africa. It is found in Somalia to Tanzania, Zanzibar and Tumbatu Island, where it inhabits open forest, woodland and forest-savanna mosaics. It is one of three species that were formerly considered to be one and the same species, the crested guinea fowl.

The intraspecific taxonomy of the crested guinea fowl has been subject to considerable debate, but most recent authorities (such as I. Martinez in Handbook of the Birds of the World) accept five subspecies across three different species. In 2022, Clements and the IUCN split the species into three, with the eastern crested guinea fowl being monotypic, comprising only the nominate subspecies. The subspecies sclateri and verreauxi were designated as the western crested guinea fowl, and edouardi and barbara as the southern crested guinea fowl. In 2023, the IOC World Bird List followed suit.

The three species of crested guinea fowl have a total length of around 50 cm (20 in) and weigh 721–1,543 g (1.590–3.402 lb). The plumage is overall blackish with dense white spots. They have distinctive black crests on the top... Wikipedia →