• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Climate Change maps
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic note

Geokichla guttata (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously listed as Zoothera guttata.

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	C2a(ii)	C2a(i,ii); D1

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2021	Vulnerable	C2a(i); D1
2017	Endangered	C2a(i)
2016	Endangered	C2a(i)
2012	Endangered	C2a(i)
2008	Endangered	C2a(i)
2006	Endangered
2004	Endangered
2000	Endangered
1996	Endangered
1994	Endangered
1988	Threatened

Migratory status	full migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	58 g

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	3,340,000 km2	medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding)	72,300 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	250-999 mature individuals	poor	estimated	2021
Population trend	decreasing	poor	inferred	2017-2027
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-19%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-19%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.45 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	5-6	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: This species has 5 subspecies; G. g. guttata, with an estimated <300 pairs [Brown 2015]; G. g. fischeri, previously estimated at c.200 pairs (Ndang'ang'a et al. 2005, 2008), but now believed to be close to extinction (C. Jackson in litt. 2021; J. John in litt. 2021); G. g. belcheri, estimated at 30-40 pairs (F. Dowsett-Lemaire, 2020, pers. comm), and G. g. maxis and G. g. lippensi, which are known only from single specimens. The global population may therefore number 660-680 mature individuals. It is estimated that the population now falls in the band of 250-999 mature individuals. 

As this species has 5 subspecies, and based on its distribution, it is assumed to have 5-6 subpopulations. The largest subpopulation is believed to be that of G. g. guttata, which based on its distribution in South Africa is believed to function as 1 subpopulation. This subspecies has an estimated <600 mature individuals. The number of mature individuals in the largest subpopulation is therefore placed in the band 251-1,000.

Trend justification: This species's population is inferred to be declining in line with habitat loss and degradation within its range (Timberlake 2017; F. Dowsett-Lemaire 2020 pers. comm.).

During the years 2001-2020, 6.8% of forest cover was lost across this species’s range according to remote sensing date by Global Forest Watch (2021). Assuming that the population declines at a similar rate to forest loss, this equates to a rate of decline of 3.6% over three generations. During the years 2017-2020, 1.68% of forest cover was lost (Global Forest Loss 2021), equating to a loss of 4.3% when projected forward over three generations. 

However, there have been additional reports of the complete destruction of forest blocks in some parts of its range, at Mt Mulanje in Malawi and Mt Namuli in Mozambique (Timberlake 2017; F. Dowsett-Lemaire 2020 pers. comm.). Data from the Southern African Bird Atlas Projects suggests a possible range decline of 28% in South Africa between SABAP1 (1987-1992) and SABAP2 (2007-c.2015) (Cooper 2015), equating roughly to a decline of 12% over three generations.

Therefore, the rate of decline may be higher than that suggested by remote sensing data, and the overall rate of population decline is placed in the band 1-19%.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the	extant	native	yes
Kenya	extant	native			yes
Malawi	extant	native	yes
Mozambique	extant	native	yes
South Africa	extant	native	yes
South Sudan	extant	native	yes
Tanzania	extant	native	yes			yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the	Upemba National Park
Kenya	Arabuko-Sokoke Forest
Kenya	Diani Forest
Kenya	Gede Ruins National Monument
Kenya	Kaya Gandini
Kenya	Kaya Waa
Kenya	Mrima Hill Forest
Kenya	Shimba Hills
Malawi	Mount Mulanje Forest Reserve
Malawi	Soche Mountain Forest Reserve
Mozambique	Maputo Special Reserve
Mozambique	Mount Mabu
South Africa	Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve
South Africa	Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve
South Africa	Entumeni Nature Reserve
South Africa	iSimangaliso Wetland Park
South Africa	Mkhambathi Nature Reserve
South Africa	Ngoye Forest Reserve
South Africa	Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
South Africa	Umlalazi Nature Reserve
South Africa	Umtamvuna Nature Reserve
South Sudan	Imatong mountains
Tanzania	Kisarawe District Coastal Forests
Tanzania	Lindi District Coastal Forests
Tanzania	Pande Game Reserve and Dondwe Coastal Forests

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	major	non-breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Dry	major	breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	non-breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	major	non-breeding
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	major	breeding
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Moist	suitable	non-breeding
Altitude	0 - 1750 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Climate change & severe weather	Habitat shifting & alteration	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Future		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Energy production & mining	Mining & quarrying	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Human intrusions & disturbance	Work & other activities	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		No decline		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Species disturbance
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Unspecified species	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Natural system modifications	Fire & fire suppression - Trend Unknown/Unrecorded	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Pollution	Excess energy - Light pollution	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Species mortality

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Spotted Ground-thrush Geokichla guttata. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/spotted-ground-thrush-geokichla-guttata on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.