30 Jun 1996 - Domesticated breeds of Guineafowl are Bad News
MANY LANDOWNERS, concerned by the dwindling number of guineafowl on their properties, have reared and released chicks acquired from elsewhere. Some of the introduced birds have domestic guineafowl blood and this poses a grave threat to wild populations.
Originating in West Africa, these birds have for centuries been selected and bred, particularly in France, for commercially desirable traits. These include the production of a heavy table bird, high egg production, reduced inclination to incubate, shorter legs and a broader breast. These attributes, as well as other captive bred associated problems, like lack of predator avoidance intellect, lack of immunity to disease and a reduced willingness to rear young, when introduced by released stock, make wild populations considerably less viable in nature.
Also, the introduction of domesticated strains lowers the quality of the hunted bird and reduces incentives to manage habitat for wild birds, particularly nesting and chick-rearing habitats to the further detriment of wild birds.
The following are the differences between wild birds and those contaminated with domestic blood. The domestic birds may not display all these characteristics.
DOMESTIC BIRDS / WILD BIRDS
WATTLES: Rounded and red / Pennant shaped, blue with red tips
HELMET: Small / Longer, hooked backwards
COLLAR FEATHERS: Blue-grey / Barred and spotted
LEGS: Orangey-yellow / Dark brown or black
CLAWS: May have all white or odd white claws / Dark brown or black
FACE: Whitish / Light blue
BODY: May have some white feathers / Black with white spots
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AGRED Natal newsletter, Autumn 1996
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