Spotted Ground Thrush

The Spotted Ground Thrush, Geokichla guttata, presents a striking appearance with its brown upper parts and contrasting white to off-white underparts, which are adorned with dark spots. These birds measure approximately 23 cm in length.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the Spotted Ground Thrush, look for the distinctive dark spots on its underparts. The brown upper parts may blend with the forest floor, making the bird less conspicuous.

Habitat

This species thrives in a variety of forested environments, including subtropical or tropical dry forest, moist lowland forest, moist montane forest, and moist shrubland.

Distribution

The Spotted Ground Thrush is found across a range of African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and possibly Mozambique.

Behaviour

A ground-dwelling bird, the Spotted Ground Thrush is often found in the leaf-litter of the forest floor. It is known for its behavior of flicking through leaves in search of small invertebrates. Despite its distinctive markings, it can be quite elusive due to its camouflaging coloration.

In the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa, these birds exhibit seasonal movement, occupying coastal forests during the winter and migrating inland to forests during the summer months.

Breeding

The Spotted Ground Thrush lays bluish eggs within a cup-shaped nest, a typical breeding behavior for members of the Turdidae family.

Conservation status

The Spotted Ground Thrush is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The primary threat to its survival is habitat loss.