Guineafowl at the Hagenbeck Zoo, Hamburg (Germany)

Guineafowl (or guineahen) are birds of the family Numididae in the order Galliformes. They are endemic to Africa and rank among the oldest of the gallinaceous birds. In English, the bird’s name has always been more confusing, since the terms “guineafowl” and “guineahen” are used interchangeably, and refer to either female or male birds of the species. The Guineafowl looks somewhat like the Turkey. It has a featherless head with wattles and have a dark grey or blackish plumage with dense white spots. Unlike domestic chickens, male and female Guineafowl look identical. They form pairs and in the wild gather in flocks that can include over 100 animals. Guineafowl parents look after their young together. They withdraw from the large group during the incubation period. While the females do most of the work during incubation, the males look after the well-being of the hatched chicks and protect them. The whole family only returns to the group after one or two months. The lifespan of a Guineafowl is approximately 10 to 15 years.

The Hagenbeck Zoo (Tierpark Hagenbeck) is a zoo in Stellingen, Hamburg, Germany. The collection began in 1863 with animals that belonged to Carl Hagenbeck Sr. (1810–1887), a fishmonger who became an amateur animal collector. The park itself was founded by Carl Hagenbeck Jr. (1844–1913) in 1907 and it is still operated and owned by the Hagenbeck family today. It is known for being the first zoo to use open enclosures surrounded by moats, rather than barred cages, to better approximate animals' natural environments. Over the years, the zoo has gained a good reputation for successfully breeding rare and endangered species such as the Asian Elephant and the Siberian Tiger.