The vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum) is the largest guineafowl species, residing in northeast Africa from southern Ethiopia through Kenya into northern Tanzania. As the sole member of the Acryllium genus and part of the Numididae family, it’s distinctively different from other guineafowl.
Characterized by its large size (61–71 cm), the vulturine guineafowl has a round body, small head, and unique features like a bare blue face, black neck, and vulture-like appearance due to its long bare neck and head. Its cape of glossy, blue and white hackles, cobalt blue breast, and finely spangled black and white body plumage distinguish it further. With longer wings, neck, legs, and tail compared to other guineafowl, it stands out in its family.
Both sexes are similar, with the female slightly smaller and possessing smaller tarsal spurs. Young birds are mainly grey-brown with a less vibrant blue breast and short hackles.
The blue elver fly pattern, once crafted from vulturine guineafowl feathers, is now challenging to make due to the rarity of this bird.
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