Habitat - They occur throughout Central and Southern Africa except in desert areas and the Lesotho Highlands. They are found in any habitat, where there is enough drinking water, food and trees for breeding and roosting. They occur in agricultural areas in large numbers. Their natural habitat is open grasslands, along river wetlands, bushveld and dry thornveld.

Habits - Helmeted guineafowl are highly gregarious (live together, sociable) and are usually found in flocks (groups) sometimes of several hundred birds. They are mostly terrestrial where they forage (look for food). They run very fast and fly only when alarmed (threatened) or on reaching the roost. Both male and female will defend their territory in times of fights with other flocks. Flocks roost together in tall trees and on pylons.

Feeding - They scratch and dig the soil with their feet and bill for food ranging from worms, snails, ticks, insects, seeds, roots and bulbs. This species is important in controlling agricultural pests such as maize stalkborers and harvester termites. Guineafowl drink water in the late afternoon with flocks making their way to the drinking place in single file.

Breeding - The birds breed in spring and early summer after heavy rains. The birds break up in pairs and choose suitable breeding spots. The breeding pair prefers to nest in tall grass at the base of tussock (a small thick clump of vegetation, usually coarse grass), or under thick bush. The nest is a simple scrape in the ground of about 200 – 320 mm across and 50 – 80 mm deep, thinly lined with feathers and grass stems and well concealed. The female will lay clutches (group of eggs hatched together) of between 8 – 20 eggs. Chicks hatch after 26 days of incubation. The chick will start flying after 14 days when it joins the main flock after two to three months.

Threats - The greatest threats to the survival of the helmeted guineafowl is the destruction of suitable breeding and roosting habitat and indiscriminate use of poisonous pesticides. Other threats could uncontrolled and brutal hunting of the birds especially during the breeding seasons and at the roosting sites.