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Vulturine Guinea Fowl - for Jaycee(Jane)


Vulturine Guinea Fowl - for Jaycee(Jane)
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2002-12-22
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1vHS, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 USM IS, Fuji Provia 100
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-05-15 9:17
Viewed: 7902
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi everybody. I am dedicating this posting to Jane in recognition of all her fine bird postings. To my mind this is the most beautiful of all Guinea Fowl, despite its name.

The Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum) is the largest and most spectacular of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and is the only member of the genus Acryllium. It is a resident breeder in northeast Africa, from southern Ethiopia through Kenya and just into northern Tanzania.

It breeds in dry and open habitats with scattered bushes and trees, such as savannah or grassland. It lays its usually 4-8 cream-coloured eggs in a well-hidden grass-lined scrape.

Vulturine Guineafowl is a large (61-71cm) bird with a round body and small head. It is longer in the neck, legs and tail than other guineafowl. The adult has a bare blue face and black neck, and although all other guineafowl have unfeathered heads, this species looks particularly like a vulture because of the long bare neck and head.

The slim neck projects from a cape of long, glossy, blue and white hackles. The breast is cobalt blue, and the rest of the body plumage is black, finely spangled with white. The wings are short and rounded, and the tail is longer than others in the family Numididae.

The sexes are similar, although the female is usually slightly smaller than the male and with smaller tarsal spurs. Young birds are mainly grey-brown, with a duller blue breast and short hackles.

Vulturine Guineafowl is a gregarious species, forming flocks outside the breeding season typically of about 25 birds. This species' food is seeds and small invertebrates. This guineafowl is terrestrial, and will run rather than fly when alarmed. Despite the open habitat, it tends to keep to cover, and roosts in trees. It makes loud chink-chink-chink-chink-chink calls.

Scanned slide.
pekkavalo1, mamcg, jaycee, boreocypriensis, maurydv, Dis. Ac., gerbilratz, MMM, rousettus, gracious, Adanac, anel, haraprasan, smitha, JPlumb, gannu, albert, eqshannon has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To pekkavalo1: Thanks - useful feedbackJamesp 1 05-15 09:23
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi James,

Very good capture of this Vulturine Guineafowl. What an amazing looking bird. Nice dedication. Great composition, nice colours and sharp details. You would never guess this scanned picture unless told so.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • mamcg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 333 W: 13 N: 91] (9843)
  • [2008-05-15 9:24]

Well informative NOTE and beautiful closeup with colours composition, I like this and TFS.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2008-05-15 9:27]

Hi James,

Thank you so much for the dedication. I'm flattered that you are enjoying my Arizona birds. This is a new one to me. What amazing plummage he has - the colors and patterns are beautiful. I love the way the right leg is raised. Beautiful setting - not surprising since it's Kenya. Again, I thank you.

Jane

Hello James
This is a lovely dedication to Jane which is richly deserved for all her fantastic captures of so many different species of birds.
As for your picture of this amazing Vulturine Guineafowl (I can see from the neck and head how he got his name!!) which is superbly captured..Your focus was superb on this with some lovely flowering grasses to the right of the picture perfectly focussed.
I am really seriously going to have to upgrade to a fast prime!
All the best
Paul

Hi James,
Excellent capture of this beautiful Guineafowl with excellent details. And also worthy and well-fitting dedication to our heartfelt friend Jane. TFS.
Cheers,

Bayram

Bellissima cattura, ottimo POV, molto bella la composizione con il senso del movimento per la zampa alzata, ottima nitidezza, magnifici i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

Hello James,

nice dedication, beautiful bird and also beautiful colours.

Gert

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2008-05-15 11:30]

Hello James,
Indeed an very beautiful Guineafowl. I've seen them more than once, but seldom such a beautiful photo. Great intense clear colours and sharpness. Excellent sharpness and POV.
Regards,
Peter

Hi James, crazy looking creature, you would have to have a picture to show people, they would never believe a description. This has stunning colours and details, and is up there with your recent Kingfisher image... great work...regards h

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1739 W: 224 N: 6872] (24909)
  • [2008-05-15 13:50]

I agree, this bird is very beautiful!
The electric blue feathers are amazing!
Excellent strutting pose.
Brilliant DOF and BG.
Great sharpness too.
A perfect dedication to Jane :-)

Well done, James!

Joe

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2008-05-15 14:57]

Hi James
Excellent image of a specie I had never seen before.Good POV and sharp image.Colors are amasing.
TFS Michel

Hello James,
it is a bit funny but very beautiful fowl with splendid colored plumage. your capture also great with great focus, POV, composition. Timing also great. it is also nice dedication. thanks. best wishes
Ahmet

Hello James,
This is a good one!
the colour and pattern on the plummage is so beautiful and special on this Fowl!
good image with sharpness, nice colour and details
many thanks
cheers
tony

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
  • [2008-05-15 20:47]

Hello James,
Amazing looking species the bright blue and black plumage and the different patterns are well displayed. Great work james, safe trip home.
Rick

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2008-05-15 23:55]

hello James,
What a special looking bird. Amazing this quite big body and the small head. It really reminds a little bit vultures. Funny way to walk around, like a soldier. And a very beautiful plumage!
Thanks a lot
Have a nice day
Anne

Hi James,
A lovely capture of this vulture like guineafowl. Excellent composition and sharp details. Enjoy your stay at Abu Dhabi. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2008-05-16 1:48]

Hi James,i remember this bird in my kenian trip,excellent quality of sharpenss and colours and beautifull sharpness,thanks for share,Luciano

Hello James,
A very beautiful bird. It looks as if it is wearing polka dot skirt and striped shirt.Excellent pOV and pose captured. Good sharpness and good quality for a scanned picture. A beautiful dedication for Jane.
Thanks for the picture and the notes,
Regards,
Smitha.

This really is an amazing site, and you are a major contributor to it James, with the diversity of wildlife seen here. This is another new one for me, and I thank you for that. It's kind of a strange looking bird, with that small head, but very beautiful all the same. You've picked up the colour and excellent detail on this guy, even while on the run. Composition with this bird in motion is very good. PP is very good.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2008-05-16 6:54]

Hello James, what a nice shot and superb sharpness. I love those tiny dots on the wings and the closeup shot. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2008-05-16 7:06]

Hello James, another great bird shot, I really like the colors and textures on that Guineafowl, great composition and fine technique, thanks!

Mario

Hello James,
Great shot of this beauty, I have seen them in both Kenya and Tanzania but never managed to get a good photo of this Vulturine Guineafowl
TFS
Albert

Very spot on sharpness James....I see you have moved from the geologic side....whislt I am sitting here wondering as to whether I should go geologic or flora...ahhh choices...

Agreed that Jane is a very good "looker upper" in the sense that she is always looking at the trees for the birds...She does well as you have said..

Very fine dedication James and a nice image with which to do it!
Bob

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-05-31 19:24]

Hello James

A very good pov for this shot,you have managed very good plumage detail .
The focus and sharpness is very good.
The guinea fowl fills the frame well.
Nicely done.
TFS

Rob

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