Edinburgh Zoo celebrate grumpy guineafowl becoming a dad to six chicks

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is celebrating the hatching of six vulturine guineafowl chicks at Edinburgh Zoo after their parents featured in the recent BBC Scotland documentary, Inside the Zoo.

The chicks hatched in early September and fully fledge at around 10-weeks-old

In the show, staff at the wildlife conservation charity were hopeful that Phillip, a grumpy vulturine guineafowl, would mate with the zoo’s female, Anne.

Sean Meechan, senior bird keeper said, “This is the first time in over six years we have bred the species, which is native to East Africa.

“Philip has a reputation for being a little grumpy and has been known to take a disliking to some of our keepers who go into the enclosure to look after our herd of Kirk's dik-dik, but we’re sure he’s going to make a great dad.

“We have hand-reared the chicks to make sure they get the best possible care whilst they are so young and vulnerable, and they are all doing great, but they aren’t out and about just yet.”

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