8 replies to this topic

[KarenK1234]

Three of these birds were running around my backyard today, Sept 8th. I have never seen anything like them before. I live in Michigan.

[Liam]

Welcome to Whatbird. These are domesticated/feral Helmeted Guineafowl. People often keep them as pets because they get rid of insects in the yard and they make good "guard dogs". Apparently they're taste nice as well.

[Bird Brain]

Agree with Liam on all all counts.

[dklucius]

they do eat lots of insects and weed and grass seeds and roost often high in a tree and screech and squak when an animal or a stranger comes around. when i lived at the farm i had a pair and the closest neighbor lived about a mile away His male guinia would come down and harass mine and sit on the phone line and make a racket everytime we went outside.

[Fluttrbye]

It looks like some "guinea" fowl flew or wandered into your yard from someon else's yard. We used to have these out in the country for our personal "alarms" as guinea fowl are very easy to upset and start chattering very loudly. They are known to wander around and graze all over the place where they are housed. I would say a neighbor of yours owns them.

[KarenK1234]

Thanks for the quick identification. They are not in my bird book so I couldn't find them. I am not sure which neighbor they belong to. I haven't heard them before and they make a lot of noise.

[dklucius]

they have them at petting zoos and bed and breakfasts and around golf courses. anybody can buy baby chicks of guinias or chuckars or pheasants or quail ect from the hatcherys. there are some city or subdivision rules not allowing wildlife or chickens or barnyard animals or birds in city limits or in private subdivisions. the main reason they are not listed in wildbird books or guides is they are usually called escapees or introduced species or even invasive species because they originally were imported from eurasian countrys often to take the place of native birds like sagehens and grouse and partridges and other game birds which went thru drastic losses due to overhunting or loss of habitat.

[KarenK1234]

I live in a strange neighborhood a cross between a subdivision and country. The neighbors have horses. The neighbors 3 houses down have had chickens before. We regularly see deer and coyotes. There are lots of different kinds of birds which make them fun to watch.

[Fluttrbye]

To KarenK1234,

I think these might also be referred to as Purple Guinea Fowl/ possibly Lavender. I would call them Purple Guineas. They won't be in our North American bird books since they are not native to North America. They were brought in originally from Africa.