The Guineafowl are a family of birds . The guineafowl ( sometimes called guineahen ) are a family of birds in the Galliformes order , although some authorities ( for example the American Ornithologists ' Union ) include the guineafowl as a subfamily , Numidinae , of the family Phasianidae . The guineafowl are native to Africa , but the Helmeted Guineafowl has been domesticated and both feral and wild-type birds have been introduced elsewhere .