White-breasted Guineafowl vs Plumed Guineafowl
Agelastes meleagrides compared with Guttera plumifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-breasted Guineafowl | Plumed Guineafowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Agelastes meleagrides | Guttera plumifera |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Numididae | Numididae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) | 46.5 cm (18.3 in) |
| Weight | 815.0 g (28.75 oz) | 875.0 g (30.86 oz) |
| Diet | Forages in African rainforest understorey for invertebrates, seeds, and fallen fruits. Scratches leaf litter in … | Forages in Central African rainforests for invertebrates, seeds, and fallen fruits. Scratches leaf litter in … |
| Clutch Size | 12 | 9-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-breasted Guineafowl
Emits a high-pitched, metallic chink-chink call and soft clucking contact notes. The ringing, metallic notes are unlike typical guineafowl calls; heard in West African lowland rainforest.
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
White-breasted Guineafowl
Resident in the Upper Guinea forests of West Africa from Sierra Leone and Liberia east to Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. Found in lowland rainforest.
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
White-breasted Guineafowl
Plumed Guineafowl
How to Tell Them Apart
White-breasted Guineafowl
Body black with white breast and upper belly creating sharp bicoloured pattern; bare pink-red head and neck; no casque or wattles; tail black. Pied black-and-white body pattern is unique among …
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
White-breasted Guineafowl
A medium-sized guineafowl (~815 g) of family Numididae, with white breast, black body, and a bare pinkish-red head. Inhabits primary lowland rainforest understory in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Ivory Coast. Forages on the forest floor in small flocks for seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. Vulnerable due to severe deforestation of Upper Guinea forests and hunting.
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.