Helmeted Guineafowl
Helmeted Guineafowl（学名：Numida meleagris），是鸡形目珠鸡科珠鸡属的鸟类。非洲南部至萨赫勒以南地区广泛分布的大型鸟类。其最显著的外部特征是头部上方有一个骨质头盔，裸露的头部皮肤颜色多样，包括白色、蓝色或红色。珠鸡分为多个亚种，其中灰顶珠鸡是最常见的类型，已培育出多种变种，如灰色、白色和淡紫色珠鸡。在中国，人们通常所指的珍珠鸡主要是灰色珠鸡类型。
Helmeted Guineafowl
60-65 cm; span c. 95-100 cm. Unmistakable. Plump body, small head; thin neck; highly gregarious in alert, noisy groups. Plumage grey, densely mottled with white spots, grading to iridescent violet on neck and breast. Head bare except for sparse, straggly feathers on hindneck; face pale blue or whitish; cere and wattles red; bill and horny crest bone colour. Sexes alike. Immature: browner; less spotted; lacks wattles and bright colours on head and neck. Mostly terrestrial but roosts in trees. When disturbed runs strongly with head high. Whirring flight on short, broad wings.
- Voice
- far-carrying grating, squeaky cackle; quiet flock contact-call a metallic 'tscheek tscheek'.
- Range & Status
- native to sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Feral flocks persist in several locations in n. Q incl. near Charters Towers, Mt Molloy, Chillagoe and Magnetic I.
