The name guinea hen, or guinea fowl, correctly identifies this birdâ??s West African origins. This small and hardy bird is a relative of the chicken and partridge, but has a much darker meat than either. The birdâ??s name has always been confusing, since the terms â??guinea fowlâ?? and â??guinea henâ?? are used interchangeably, and refer to either female or male birds of the species. In plumage the sexes are indistinguishable, but the males are larger. Guinea hens are easily recognizable by the distinct white dotted pattern of their pearly gray plumage, as well as their bald, vulture-like head. Guinea hens are similar in size to chickens and pheasants. They have a distinctive screech for a voice, sometimes described as a rusty windmill. This one was hanging with the Giraffe and a lone Cattle Egret. We thought they were very unique and pretty. This one I've nicknamed Scrooge as he has that indentifiable bald cap :) Nikon D7000; 1/1250; f/5.6; ISO 800