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Crested Guineafowl


Crested Guineafowl
Photo Information
Copyright: Anna Eksteen (Miss_Piggy) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2285 W: 5 N: 5300] (18714)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-05
Categories: Birds
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC H9, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 15x Optical zoom, Digital ISO 400
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2011-09-13 10:52
Viewed: 4980
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Crested Guineafowl / Guttera edouardi

The Crested Guineafowl is number 51 in the series of the Birds of the Kruger which I am currently sharing. It obtained its name by the curly tuft of hair on its head. This image was taken in the Pafuri area in the Kruger National Park. It seems to be a Trek Nature first.

For most people they are certainly not the most attractive birds, but apart from their appearance, they’re quite ordinary birds. They inhabit central parts of Africa, ranging throughout all the forest territories, as well as a handful of regions in Southern Africa.

Crested Guineafowls have dark blue feathers with many regular white markings. The head is bare and the skin on it dry and somewhat rugose. This combined with the bright, blood-red eyes give for the rather demonic look of the birds.

Guineafowls live in forest meadows and thick bushy areas. They are social birds that live in groups of 10-30 individuals and in these larger groups, families stick together all the time. Early morning, the Crested Guineafowls leave their tree beds and go to the forest to feed. When the temperature becomes too warm, the birds hide in shadow or sometimes go swimming to cool off. Individuals of the group communicate constantly, using their loud voices and staying in close range of each other.

Although these birds seem to be very noticeable, they blend in with their surroundings very well. If during feeding a threat poses, one of the birds stretches out their neck and emits a very loud and shrill scream. Upon hearing it, all the other guineafowls fly to the trees, where thanks to their great camouflage; they're invisible for the predator's eye.

Their diet consists mostly of seeds and fruit, although they also eat other parts of plants. Occasionally they feed on bugs, termites and even slimes. Necessary water is consumed by drinking from puddles. When the dry period comes, the birds dig up roots and other parts of plants that are rich with water, to quench their thirst, but they never go specifically to a freshwater source to drink.

When the mating period comes, Crested Guineafowl cocks begin their rut dance, trying to make a positive impression to the females. If successful, the new pair leaves the group and finds a suited place for nesting. These pairs stay together for the rest of their lives. Three to four eggs are laid in the nest, which are then incubated for 25-28 days. When the young guineafowls hatch, both the parents start feeding them. In 15-20 days, the young birds can already fly and the family then re-joins the larger group.

They are called Kuifkoptarentaal in Afrikaans, Kroonparelhoen in Dutch; Pintade de Pucheran in French, Kräuselhauben-Perlhuhn in German and Pintada-de-crista in Portuguese. Source

I hope you enjoyed looking at this photo as much as I took pleasure in taking it.
pegos, jlinaresp, Mamagolo2, Luis52, maurydv, paolo49, maaciejka, kapildk, siggi, Pitoncle, marius-secan, tuslaw, anel, ferranjlloret, Dis. Ac., bungbing, vanni2009, PaulLees, eqshannon, Jakkals has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

I really like this picture! beautiful details of the fantastic color of this bird
ciao
Stefano

  • Great 
  • pegos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 222 W: 0 N: 356] (1982)
  • [2011-09-13 11:15]

Hello Anna,
a very nice shot of this beauty, splendid natural colours, excellent point of view, very good sharpness. Well done!
Thanks for sharing
Enrico

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2011-09-13 11:20]

Hello Anna,
What a beautiful photo of this Crested Guineafowl. My posting of this bird was oversharpened, but this one is amazing. Splendid natural colours and a very good composition. Good depth of field. A beauty!
Regards,
Peter

hello Anna
Great shot of this beauty with good details and beautiful colours
i like this picture
thanks greeting lou

Hi Anna,
Nice pic for this chicken.
I sow her many times in my visits to Africa.
Perfect colors and sharpness.
TFS.
Lior

Hello Anna,
Well it's a first for me too and it's fantastic. What a stunning capture my friend and with such fantastic clarity and sharpness. It almost looks like it has a steel ring around the neck and the eye is just so beautiful. The tuft of hair on the head reminds me of the youngsters of today. Very well done my friend and tfs.
Regards
Natley

Hello Anna,
What a beauty! Details, sharpness, colours and POV are excellent. Also a good composition. Well done!
Regards,
Mircea

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 8 N: 4240] (15809)
  • [2011-09-13 13:49]

Hola Anna.
Great work here. This Crested Guineafowl really has a beautiful colors on winga and head. I think that all the birds are so especial in his own way, and we the humans have a lot to learn about them. They are always working, always singing.
TFS Anna
Luis52.

Hi Anna,
A lovely capture of this vulture like guineafowl. Excellent composition and sharp details,
Jurek

Ciao Anna. Excellrnt pic in razor details and impressive sharp. Great light too.

Roberto

Hallo Anna,
another fantastic capture from the Kruger Park, superb sharpness and fine details on the plumage, marvellous colours, excellent low point of view.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hi Anna,
Great image. Excellent colours with fantastic composition and details.
Regards, Paolo

Hi Anna,
great photo of this bird. Nice colours. Unusual colours and everything - for me this is very unusual birs :)
Thanks for sharing,
Maciek

Hi Anna,

Beautiful bird captured with great details & good sharpness in its natural habitat.
The hair cut is nice & good eye contact too. The note is interesting. Well done & TFS.
Kapil

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2011-09-14 10:56]

Hello Anna.
wonderful image of a magnificient bird! The POV of this fine pose is super and plumage details are excellent. Extremely well done.Best regards Siggi

Bonjour Anna,
Excellente profondeur de champ et très belle lumière permettant d'apprécier la finesse des détails et la délicatesse des couleurs.
A bientôt sur TN pour de nouvelles aventures.
Gérard

Hello Anna,
Impressive capture of a very interesting bird.
Great details and exceptional sharpness.
I love the excellent clarity and perfect focus.
Brilliant colors and good light. It is a first class capture.
Marius.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2011-09-16 14:38]

Hi Anna,what a beautiful bird and what a fantastic capture whit this impressive sharpness,the plums whit this quality are perfect to create a magic catch-eye,another pearl in your beautiful gallery,i like it!Have a nice weekend and thanks for share,Luciano

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2011-09-16 20:43]

Hello Anna,
You can always spot a Guinea just by it's shape and features. This particular one looks as if his plumage is covered in tiny pearls. Any women would be jealous of this little beauties attire.
Their teal bluish colors along with that bright red eye, seems to say (just look at me, ain't I gorgeous)
While visiting my daughter this summer in Oaklahoma we stayed at our son-in-laws parents home. They had about five guinea on their farm and boy!! were they noisey when they seen something suspicious.
Ron

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2011-09-17 1:47]

Hello Anna,
This bird looks like an older upperclass Lady and I see some dignity in its way to walk ;-)
What I like here especially is the natural surroundings and the special red-eyed bird with the dark crest and the spotted plumage. A good decentred composition too. An interesting subject!
Have a nice weekend you and Loot
Kind regards
Anne

Hello Anna
Another impressive presentation of an amazing African bird! Another interesting and beautiful photo.
Regards,
Christodoulos

Hallo Anna,
good pic of this Crested Guineafowl
TFS Ferran

Hello Anna,

an vey nice image taken by you.
Good pov and sharpness.
Fine colors.

Gert

Hello Anna,
A very good shot of this Crested Guineafowl, great sharpness details, very nice eye-contact and beautiful natural colours,
Thanks for sharing and have a nice afternoon,
Best Regards,
Bungbing.

Hello Anna
extraordinary photography, excellent sharpness and beautiful natural colors. Great POV.
This beautiful bird, interesting notes attached.
Thank you for sharing
Hello Vanni

Hi Anna,

Superb detailed sharpness with excellent clarity here Anna, wonderful exposure/white balance and good use of fill in flash, lovely natural colours and just love the highlighted red eye, great picture here and very well done,
Best Regards,

Pauly.

So spot on colour it makes me dizzy! You dont post much, but when you do it is most worthy!
Bob

never saw this magnificent one, TFS Ori

Hi Anna,
Wow another ground dwelling bird. You seem to capture a lot of them, are there no predators there? They must be very vulnerable. Great focus on the bird eye, those feathers are mezmerizing, kind of like a merage. Well done.
Denis.

Hello Anna,
This is the type of photos I admire. When enlarged to 100% the sharpness is still there. Beautifull exposure with excelent colours, eye detail and DOF. Great!!
Regards,
Carl

Hi Anna,
Wow, great shot! We have never been so fortunate to see one of these in the wild! Well done! Your image is pin sharp as usual with great detail, I like the catchlight in the eye!
Peter

Anna, this is such an excellent shot of this bird. It has great sharpness and detail. Thanks for your comments. Have a great day, Bill

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