Vulturine Guineafowl vs Plumed Guineafowl
Acryllium vulturinum compared with Guttera plumifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Vulturine Guineafowl | Plumed Guineafowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Acryllium vulturinum | Guttera plumifera |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Numididae | Numididae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 60.0 cm (23.6 in) | 46.5 cm (18.3 in) |
| Weight | 1332.25 g (46.99 oz) | 875.0 g (30.86 oz) |
| Diet | Forages in East African semi-arid scrub for seeds, invertebrates, and tubers. Highly gregarious; walks long … | Forages in Central African rainforests for invertebrates, seeds, and fallen fruits. Scratches leaf litter in … |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | 9-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Vulturine Guineafowl
Produces a loud, resonant honking alarm call and rapid, staccato clucking. The deep, carrying honk is unmistakable; flocks call with overlapping, rapid-fire notes on East African arid savanna.
Plumed Guineafowl
Emits a loud, cackling call and guttural chuckling. Calls are similar to Crested Guineafowl but slightly lower; the raucous cackling echoes through Central African forest and forest edge.
Geographic Range & Migration
Vulturine Guineafowl
Resident in northeastern Africa from Ethiopia and Somalia south to Kenya and Tanzania. Found in arid and semi-arid thornbush and grassland.
Plumed Guineafowl
Resident in Central Africa from Cameroon and Gabon east to Uganda and western Democratic Republic of Congo. Found in lowland and foothill rainforest.
Conservation Status
Vulturine Guineafowl
Plumed Guineafowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Vulturine Guineafowl
Cobalt blue and black breast; long hackle-like feathers on neck streaked white and blue; chestnut nape; bare blue-grey head; densely spotted black-and-white wings and flanks; crimson eye. Most striking guineafowl.
Plumed Guineafowl
Dark grey-black with white spotting on body; bare blue-grey facial skin; distinctive upright black plume-like feathers on top of head forming crest; no casque; red-blue wattles small.
About These Birds
Vulturine Guineafowl
The world's largest guineafowl (~1.3 kg) of family Numididae, with a bare blue head, chestnut nape, and brilliant cobalt-blue breast streaked with white. Inhabits dry bushland and thornscrub in northeastern Africa from Somalia to Tanzania. Forages in large coordinated flocks for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; a striking bird of the semi-arid Horn of Africa.
Plumed Guineafowl
A medium-large guineafowl (~875 g) of family Numididae, with black-spotted grey plumage and a distinctive straight feathered crest. Inhabits lowland tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin and Cameroon. Forages in groups on the forest floor for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; associated with primary and mature secondary Congo Basin forest with a broad regional distribution.