Vulturine Guineafowl Profile: The Blue-Chested Bird of Dry Northern Kenya

Groups walk through thornbush and semi-arid scrub with a stately, upright gait, and the shimmering blue and black-and-white patterns look almost unreal in morning sun. The species is closely associated with the Samburu area and is a high priority for photographers and birders.

This profile explains how to recognise it, how its flocks behave, what it eats and where to see it in East Africa.

This guide is part of our animals of Uganda and East Africa guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Identification

The vulturine guineafowl has a small bare head with blue-grey skin and a brown patch of short feathers on the nape, which gives the vulture-like look behind its name. A long neck, a vivid cobalt-blue breast and elongated black-and-white striped feathers cascading over the shoulders form a cape that is unmistakable. The body is dark and spotted, with a long tail that sweeps the ground, and the eyes are red. Males and females look alike. Chicks are brown, striped and inconspicuous, and gradually develop adult plumage.

Compared With Other Guineafowl

The common helmeted guineafowl is a rounder bird with a bony casque on the head and a blue-and-white face, and it is far more widespread. The vulturine is taller, longer-necked and found in drier habitat. Their ranges overlap in places, which can lead to confusion at a distance, but the long cape feathers and blue chest of the vulturine are impossible to mistake at close range. See the helmeted guineafowl profile for a comparison with the familiar species.

Habitat and Range

The vulturine guineafowl is a bird of dry country in north-eastern Africa. It occurs in northern and eastern Kenya, extends into southern Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Tanzania, and lives in semi-arid bushland, acacia scrub and open woodland with grass cover. It avoids forest and very high altitude. In Kenya it is most reliably seen in the northern reserves and conservancies, and it is common wherever suitable scrub remains. It is a bird of the rangelands, so grazing and bush clearance influence its numbers.

Flocks and Social Behaviour

Flocks of ten to thirty birds are typical, and larger gatherings occur in good seasons. Groups forage on foot, covering long distances in a day, and rely on running more than flying when disturbed, although they fly up into trees to roost at night. Flocks have a structure, and studies of the species have shown that groups may belong to larger communities that mix at times. Calls include a loud, metallic series of notes that carry across open scrub. Dominance contests occur between males, but the flock stays tightly connected.

Diet and Feeding

Vulturine guineafowl eat mostly seeds, bulbs, roots and fallen fruit, together with insects, termites and small invertebrates. They scratch the ground with their feet, turning over litter, and follow grazing animals, picking up insects disturbed by their feet. In dry seasons they move to find food near water, and they usually drink at least once a day when water is available. Watching a flock feed along a track at dawn is one of the great scenes of the Samburu region.

Where to See Vulturine Guineafowl

Reliable places include Samburu and the neighbouring reserves, where sightings are almost daily on game drives, and the Laikipia conservancies around Mount Kenya. They are also found in Tsavo East and in some dry areas of the Tanzanian north, but they are not regular birds of Uganda or Rwanda, so travellers combining those countries should look for them on the Kenyan leg of a trip. For the northern circuit see Samburu wildlife guide and the Samburu special five.

Viewing and Photography Tips

Morning and late afternoon are best, when flocks are active and the light brings out the blue. Ask the driver to stop well ahead of the birds and let them walk toward you, because approaching tends to make them run. A telephoto lens and a low angle emphasise the cape pattern. Fine stripes can cause shimmer on camera sensors, so use a fast shutter and check details. For wider context read Kenya endemic and specialty birds and the East Africa birding guide.

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Related Tours, Guides and Resources

• Ameera Africa Safaris homepage: Uganda safaris, tours and holidays
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• Uganda travel guide
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