Spotted Ground-thrush
Encyclopedia
The Spotted Ground-thrush (Zoothera guttata) is a species of bird
in the Turdidae family.
It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo
, Kenya
, Malawi
, South Africa
, Sudan
, Tanzania
, and possibly Mozambique
.
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
s, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane
forests, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland
.
It is threatened by habitat loss.
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.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Turdidae family.
It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, and possibly Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
.
Description
These birds are about 23cm in length, with brown upper parts and white to off-white lower parts which are darkly spotted.Habitat
Its natural habitatHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
forests, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
.
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.In KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, 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.
