Helmeted Guineafowl

A couple of these helmeted guineafowl are occasionally to be seen in the road by Golspie Tower Farm. They never look very happy - which isn't surprising as their natural home is sub-saharan Africa, where we've seen them in the wild, for example....

....on one of our trips to Tanzania when a large and very noisy flock crossed the track, holding up our tourist-filled Land Rover whose passengers were hoping to see something rather more exciting.

These seemed very at home in some beautiful, open savanna woodland, going about their late afternoon business of foraging for seeds and insects in their customary chatty fashion. I have always been amazed that they survive as their noise is audible for miles and would, one imagines, attract any predator which might fancy a nice meal of game bird.

I can only conclude that, although they always seem so relaxed and sociable, they manage to keep a very watchful eye on their surroundings, and are pretty sharp at taking avoiding action if they feel threatened. This photo was taken in Saadani National Park where the local predator list starts with lions, leopards and hyenas. I wouldn't have been too happy wandering around these woodlands at that time of day but then I can't fly.