Black Guineafowl

The head and upper neck of an adult black guinea fowl are unfeathered, revealing the pink skin. A crest of short downy feathers is on the forehead and crown, and the throat and lower neck have a scattering of downy feathers. The body and tail feathers are black with some paler speckled markings on the belly. Males have one to three spurs on their legs, while females either have none or a single short spur. Juveniles are similar, but have buff tips to the feathers on their upper parts, a speckled breast, and white belly. The beak is greenish grey and the legs greyish brown. Males are usually slightly larger than females and measure about 42 cm (17 in) in length, weighing about 700 g (25 oz). The call is a monotonous high-pitched "kwee" repeated at the rate of two to three notes per second. The alarm call is an even shriller sound repeated more rapidly.

The black guinea fowl is native to the western portions of Central Africa (south of the Sahara), from Nigeria and Cameroon in the west, east and southeast through Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The geographical limit of the species' range is estimated to be around 2,180,000 km2 (840,000 sq mi). The birds are terrestrial, however they can fly short distances. They spend much of their time looking for food on the forest floor, living in primary (old-growth) and secondary tropical rainforest as well as occasionally foraging in cultivated croplands or pastures. Regardless of location, black guinea fowl feel most reassured being in or near-to thick jungle vegetation in order to flee from threats or predators.

The black guinea fowl has been little studied. It is usually found in pairs or small groups, and is a shy, elusive bird of the forest floor. It occurs in primary and secondary growth woodland, favouring parts with thick undergrowth, but sometimes venturing out onto adjacent cultivated lands. It feeds on invertebrates such as ants, termites, millipedes, and beetles, and also small frogs, seeds, berries, and shoots. The nesting habits of this species are not known, but the eggs are pale reddish-brown, sometimes shaded with yellow or purple. It may breed in the dry season or possibly at any time of year.