White-breasted Guineafowl
Agelastes meleagrides
Small, long-tailed, mostly black guineafowl with a white ruff around the neck and a bare red head. Found on the ground in lowland rainforest. Generally rare and local. Usually in groups, which range from small to fairly large. The common call is a repeated, agitated “kyeek.” Also gives a descending trilled call. Similar to other guineafowl, but easily separated by the white neck.
Identification
It has a black plumage with a small, bare, red head, white breast, long, black tail, greenish-brown bill, and greyish feet. The sexes are similar, although the female is slightly smaller than the male.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Agelastes meleagrides
- Authority
- Bonaparte, 1850
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Agelastes
Range and habitat
The white-breasted guineafowl is distributed in subtropical West African forests of Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Although preferring a more dry climate, the species prioritizes forest coverage causing the distribution of the species to have a much broader distribution.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
Due to ongoing habitat loss and hunting in some areas, the white-breasted guineafowl is rated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Ochre-bellied Boobook
Ninox ochracea
A medium-sized brown owl with a rounded head. Note the rufous underparts, clear white eyebrows, and striking yellow eyes. Upperparts chocolate-brown with bold white spots on the wings. Found in understory in lowland and foothill forest, roosting in the day in pairs or small groups within tangled thickets. Occurs at lower elevations than Cinnabar Boobook, and differs in its white eyebrows and brown upperparts. Gives a strident growling song, “woo-wooOW,” with a longer, louder second note. Also gives a single frog-like “grrrrow.”
Dovekie
Alle alle
Tiny waterbird, the size of an elongated grapefruit. In nonbreeding plumage, they are black above and white below with a black stripe on the side of the neck and a white comma behind eye. Short, stout bill. Horizontal posture like a football floating on the water. Dives frequently when feeding. In winter, only likely to be seen from land following the passage of a storm, otherwise stays well offshore. Found singly or in flocks. Much smaller than guillemots or puffins, with fast wingbeats and low, twisting flight that recalls a flock of sandpipers. Breeds in large numbers in Greenland and Europe; rare at alcid breeding colonies in Alaska. Birds in breeding plumage have an all-black head and chest.
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus
Small seabird that breeds in old-growth evergreen forests, sometimes far from the coast. Often in small flocks on coastal waters, where it dives underwater searching for fish. Breeding plumage is dark brown with few contrasting marks; slightly darker cap and blotchy pale belly. Nonbreeding birds are sharply patterned black, white, and gray. Note black cap that extends below the eye, a white collar, and dark grayish pattern on back. Bill is very short and thin. Similar to several other species of murrelets and difficult to distinguish without good views, but note details of face pattern and range.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.