{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{speciesbox | image = Spotted Ground Thrush.jpg | image_caption = ''Zoothera guttata'' from Dlinza Forest, South Africa | status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2021 |title=''Geokichla guttata'' |volume=2021 |article-number=e.T22708464A180490672 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22708464A180490672.en |access-date=1 January 2022}}</ref> | genus = Geokichla | species = guttata | authority = (Vigors, 1831) | synonyms = ''Zoothera guttata''}}

The '''spotted ground thrush''' ('''''Geokichla guttata''''') is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and possibly Mozambique.

==Description== These birds are about 23&nbsp;cm in length, with brown upper parts and white to off-white lower parts which are darkly spotted.

==Habitat== Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.

==Biology and behaviour== The spotted ground thrush spends much of its time in leaf-litter on the forest floor where it flicks through the leaves in search of small invertebrates, and despite its distinctive colouration, it is often difficult to see.<ref>M. Purves, 2010</ref>

In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the birds have distinctive winter and summer ranges. In winter these birds spend their time in remnant coastal forests, and in summer they move to forests further inland.

The birds lay bluish-coloured eggs in a cup-shaped nest.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/grzimek_birds/Turdidae/Zoothera_guttata.jpg/view.html Image at ADW] *[http://sabap2.adu.org.za/image_sabap_map_create.php?Spp=558 Distribution in South Africa (red and yellow blocks)] * Spotted ground thrush - [http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/578.pdf Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds].

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spotted ground thrush Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa spotted ground thrush Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

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