Vulturine Guineafowl

Acryllium vulturinum

Other Names

    Pintade vulturine   Geierperlhuhn   Pintada Vulturina   Gampärlhöna   Gierparelhoen   Faraona volturina, Numida vultarina

World: NE Africa from southern and eastern Ethiopia ans Somalia to ne Uganda, Kenya and ne Tanzania.

Kenya: Occupies mainly the arid northern and eastern regions of the country.

This is a spectacularly coloured, long-tailed Guineafowl which is easily distinguished from the other Kenyan species. The combination of vivid cobalt blue mixed with black and white on the long neck feathers is very striking.

Except when breeding the birds occur in medium to large flocks which spend the day scratching along on the ground looking for food. They are, however, strong fliers and roost in trees overnight. Although they will take water when it is available, they can exist for long periods without drinking.

We've found Samburu to be a particularly good place to see large numbers of Vulturine Guineafowl. They gather in large flocks moving down to the Uaso Nyiro at dusk.