Spotted Ground Thrush

Overview

The spotted ground thrush (Geokichla guttata) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae that is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is distributed across several sub-Saharan African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and possibly Mozambique.

Identification

• Approximately 23 cm in length with brown upper parts.
• White to off-white lower parts that are darkly spotted.
• Often difficult to see in the field despite its distinctive colouration.

Habitat

Its natural habitats include subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland and montane forests, and moist shrubland. The species is threatened by habitat loss, and in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, it shifts between remnant coastal forests in winter and inland forests in summer.

Diet

The bird forages on the forest floor, spending much of its time flicking through leaf-litter in search of small invertebrates.

Did you know?

In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the birds exhibit seasonal migration, moving from remnant coastal forests in winter to forests further inland in summer. They lay bluish-coloured eggs in a cup-shaped nest.