(Acryllium vulturinum)
of Adult:
Weight: 2.5-3.5 feet
The vulturine guineafowl is the tallest and most colorful of all the guineafowl. Its plumage of black and white stripes and dots is enlivened by areas of cobalt blue and lilac. The bird is named for its naked vulture like head and neck. The band of velvety chestnut feathers on the back of its neck resembles a monk’s haircut.
The vulturine guineafowl prefers to walk or run swiftly on its legs when it is disturbed, but it will burst into a short escape flight of 150 to 350 feet as a last resort. It retreats from the ground at nightfall, flying up to roost in trees. Each flock tends to select a tall acacia with dense surrounding shrubbery.