RFI Helmeted Guineafowl in Australia

Hi birders, What is the current status of Helmeted Guineafowl in Australia? I don’t count the dozen or so birds which occasionally wander over to our little patch of earth from my neighbour because they are kept in an enclosed yard every night and rarely wander more than 50m from home. However, when visiting the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo a few weeks ago we saw a group of about 8 of this species wandering through one of the car parks. Is this a self-sustaining population? They didn’t seem constrained by any form of enclosure. Thanks in advance, Trevor — Trevor Hampel, Murray Bridge, South Australia. CHECK OUT MY BLOGS: Trevor’s Birding: http://www.trevorsbirding.com/ Trevor’s Travels: http://www.trevorstravels.com/ Trevor’s Writing: http://www.trevorhampel.com/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/TrevorHampel


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8 comments to RFI Helmeted Guineafowl in Australia

  • dale.mengel

    Hi Trevor, I believe there is an increasing number of self-sustaining populations of Helmeted Guineafowl in Australia – a good few sites for them up around the Atherton Tablelands as Allan has suggested, however this has been a known self-sustaining population for a long period of time and has grown a lot in numbers, splitting into separate parties as Allan has stated. I saw a party of about 15-20 birds walking along the side of the road between Mareeba and Mount Molloy on the tablelands in October last year, but they are a widely known feral population and are mentioned in many of the field guides. Whether or not you could call the ones at Western Plains Zoo a feral population, I am not sure. They may well be captive birds at the zoo which just have free range of the place. Probably no real way of telling for sure without asking the zoo if they ever had guineafowl as part of their exhibits -even then, at which stage do you classify them as being a self-sustainable population? When they breed and feed without any intervention from the zoo, even if they maybe were once fed/bred with zoo intervention? A lot of the Guineafowl across Australia probably originate from aviary escapees, so probably no different than in a zoo setting if they are breeding/feeding without intervention, regardless of where they originated from. Cheers, Dale Dale Mengel Proserpine, QLD, Australia http://www.dalemengelphotography.com


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  • reidyjg

    Hi All. My wife and I spent a few days on Flinders Island a couple of years ago and stayed at Partridge Farm. There were plenty of Chukar Partridges around but they were domestic and free range. What the owners said was that the dominant males drive off the young males which spread around the island somewhat until the feral cats get them. They try and eat them before they are driven off though. I guess that is not what you wanted to hear Sean. Saw a couple of Common Pheasants though in different locations but I couldn’t get information about their origin. Happy Birding. John On 02/10/14 21:49, SeanDooley wrote: — John Reidy Sydney Phone 02 9871 4836 Fax 02 9871 2616


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  • At one of the sites on the Atherton Tablelands the population had grown so much that the flock had split into three in normal times and much smaller groups when breeding. A farmhand at one of the farms they frequented took to hunting them for the pot and they became scarce and hard to find. This morning they were around the outbuildings on this property so I imagine that that worker has moved on or has improved his diet. Regards, Alan Alan’s Wildlife Tours 2 Mather Road Yungaburra 4884 Phone 07 4095 3784 Mobile 0408 953 786 http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/


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  • sdooley

    In November 2002 I saw a good size party (15-20 from memory) of Helmeted Guineafowl emerge from the bush on the outskirsts of Wyndham, WA and come down to the puddles beneath the caravan park taps to have a drink. I didn’t tick them at the time but I wonder if anybody has seen this species here since. Surely by now they would classify as self-sustaining if they were still in the area and seemingly wild as these birds appeared? It is one of those interesting twitching conundrums- just because a feral species is admitted to the official list, it doesn’t mean every population or individual of that species somehow miraculously becomes a free-flying, self-sustaining wild bird (and therefore by convention tickable). Trying to ascertain the provenance of such birds can be quite tricky and therefore probably important that sightings get reported on forums such as this or on Birdline for future reference. (I am similarly awaiting for somebody to confirm the continued existence of wild Chukar Partridge on Flinders Island in Bass Strait where I saw them in 1995!) Sean —–Original Message—– Trevor Hampel Sent: Wednesday, 1 October 2014 10:56 PM Hi birders, What is the current status of Helmeted Guineafowl in Australia? I don’t count the dozen or so birds which occasionally wander over to our little patch of earth from my neighbour because they are kept in an enclosed yard every night and rarely wander more than 50m from home. However, when visiting the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo a few weeks ago we saw a group of about 8 of this species wandering through one of the car parks. Is this a self-sustaining population? They didn’t seem constrained by any form of enclosure. Thanks in advance, Trevor — Trevor Hampel, Murray Bridge, South Australia. CHECK OUT MY BLOGS: Trevor’s Birding: http://www.trevorsbirding.com/ Trevor’s Travels: http://www.trevorstravels.com/ Trevor’s Writing: http://www.trevorhampel.com/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/TrevorHampel


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  • aviceda

    Lake Samsonvale birds have never bred and the last time I was there (in June) there was only 2 or 3 remaining. Tom On 02/10/2014 1:49 PM, “John Tongue” < jspk@iprimus.com.au> wrote:


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  • jspk

    We’ve heard various sites around the Atherton Tablelands, the hinterland around Mackay, and POSSIBLY Lake Samsonvale birds can be counted as truly feral. We certainly ticked the ones we saw between Mackay and Eungella. Cheers, John Tongue Devonport On 02/10/2014, at 11:54 AM, Michael Ramsey < mickramsey@hotmail.com> wrote:


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  • mickramsey

    I was at Moranbah inland from Mackay a week ago and there was a good sized flock of guinea fowl 30-40 strong by the oval and sewage ponds as well as another 10 or more By the racecourse, all looked very good candidates as feral Birds to Me Sent from my iPhone


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  • tarburton.m

    G’day Trevor & list members There is a group of 80 Helmeted Guineafowl that have the run of the outback town of Chillagoe. They had 2+ broods in July, have been there for some years. They are certainly out-breeding the four Squatter pigeons that live around the Chillagoe golf Club. They also out-breed the wild Pea Fowl that now inhabit mainly the creek area. But that is because they used to annoy the hospital folk when they chose to sleep in their trees, and they got the environment department to reduce their numbers. Happy hunting Mike On 01/10/2014, at 10:55 PM, Trevor Hampel wrote:


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