Guineas are certainly not smart in the traditional sense. On the one hand, they have memorized each and every stick, bicycle, stone, person, vehicle, animal, etc, on their home range and will raise sand if anything is moved, added, or changed without their permission. On the other hand I have personally seen two instances that pointed toward a definate lack of intelligence. first, I had to start penning my dogs while I am at work because instinct got the best of them and they started killing my guineas. I came home the other day and all 20 of my guineas were perched on the top rail of the chainlink fence that surrounds the dog pen, looking down and screaming at the dogs (who were patiently sitting below them waiting for one to come to dinner!) Then, on another day, I heard the guineas raising sand on the other side of the house. When I went to investigate, there was a HUGE hawk in the air above them being tormented by 5 crows! The guineas were looking up and actually following the ariel dogfight back and forth across the yard staying directly under the hawk the whole time! The hawk was trying to get itself a guinea but the crows were dealing it such misery that it finally flew away. Thank goodness for the crows but the guineas stood out in the open and made no effort to hide. Oh, but when they do try to hide they usually run full speed and try to get under another guinea like a keet would with it's mother. I've seen the "mother" lifted off it's feet and carried several feet by another of the same size who is looking for shelter! lol Too funny. The are entertaining to watch!
