The diet of helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) in the Riemland of the North-Eastern free State, South Africa

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the diet of helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) in the Riemland and to establish the effects that these gamebirds may be having on cash crop yield. In the Riemland farming community many farmers complain of harvest losses suffered to guineafowl. It was found that the main dietary items during all seasons are corms of weed plants, primarily Cyperus spp. Helmeted guineafowl rely to a large degree on waste maize and germinating wheat during winter when natural food is difficult to find. Although they do not pose any problems with regard to maize farming, this is not necessarily true for wheat farming.