Guttera plumifera
The Plumed Guineafowl (Guttera plumifera) is a striking medium-sized gamebird, typically measuring 40-50 cm in length and weighing between 700-1000 grams. Its plumage is predominantly dark slate-grey to black, finely speckled with white spots that become more prominent on the lower body and flanks, creating a delicate, almost pearled appearance. The most distinctive field mark is its unique blackish crest, composed of stiff, bristly feathers that curl forward over its forehead, giving it its ...
This guineafowl exclusively inhabits dense primary and secondary tropical rainforests, favoring the understory of lowland and submontane evergreen forests, typically below 1,200 meters elevation.
Their diet consists primarily of invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and mollusks, supplemented by seeds, berries, and fallen fruits gleaned from the forest floor.
Plumed Guineafowl are diurnal, highly secretive birds, spending their days foraging on the forest floor in small coveys of 4 to 20 individuals, often remaining hidden in dense undergrowth. They forage by scratching vigorously at the leaf litter with their strong feet, uncovering insects, seeds, a...
The Plumed Guineafowl is endemic to the tropical rainforests of West-Central Africa, with its distribution extending from southeastern Nigeria and southern Cameroon eastward through Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also occurs ...
Least Concern
- The Plumed Guineafowl is one of the most secretive guineafowl species, making it notoriously difficult to observe in its dense rainforest habitat. - Unlike the bare-headed guineafowl species, the Plumed Guineafowl possesses a unique, bristly feathered crest that gives it its common name. - They...