Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris is an introduced African gamebird occurring locally in New Zealand. It differs from pheasants and turkeys through its spotted plumage, bare blue face and bony helmet. The rounded body is dark grey with dense white spots. The head is mostly bare, with red wattles and a horn-coloured casque.

Small feral and farm-associated groups occur patchily in warmer districts. Open farmland and scrub with nearby roost trees are typical habitat. It takes seeds, shoots, insects and other small animals while walking. Noisy flocks feed by day and roost in trees at night.

New Zealand classifies helmeted guineafowl as Introduced. Free-ranging birds may be seen on rural roads in Northland, but no wild site is dependable.