Orange ground thrush

Illustration by Joseph Wolf

The orange ground thrush was described as Turdus gurneyi by Hartlaub in 1864.[2] It is named after John Henry Gurney Sr., an English banker, politician and ornithologist.[3] There are five subspecies: G. g. chuka found in central Kenya; G. g. raineyi found in southeastern Kenya; G. g. otomitra found in western Angola, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and northern Malawi; G. g. gurneyi found in eastern South Africa; and G. g. disruptans found in central Malawi to northeastern South Africa.[4]

Its habitat is montane forests,[2] namely the afromontane of southeastern Africa. The size of its range is estimated at 5,370,000 km² (2,070,000 sq mi).[1] It is found at elevations of 500–2,500 m (1,600–8,200 ft).[1]

Its length is 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in). The male weighs 44.5–64.5 g (1.57–2.28 oz), and the female weighs 48.5–76 g (1.71–2.68 oz).[2] The upperparts are olive-brown; some parts have a grey tinge.[2] The flight feathers are blackish-brown. There are two bars on the wing.[2] The throat, breast and flanks are orange. The vent is white. There is an incomplete white eye-ring.[2] The beak is dark.[5] The legs are pink.[2] The female is similar to the male but is less bright.[2] The immature has mottled underparts.[5]

The orange ground thrush is crepuscular.[2] It is sedentary, but makes altitudinal movements in some regions.[6] Its call is tsip and cureek. Its song is a series of several mellow and melodious notes.[2] It feeds on the ground. Its diet is earthworms, insects, molluscs and fruits.[2] The breeding season is January to May in Kenya, August to December in Tanzania, October to January in Malawi, and September to December in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.[2] In breeding pairs, the female has been observed to consistently weigh more than the male.[2] The nest is a deep cup built of moss, twigs, leaves, roots and ferns.[2] There are 2 to 3 turquoise-blue eggs.[2] The eggs are incubated for 15 days. The fledging period is 18 to 20 days.[2]

Its population size is not known.[1] Its population is declining because of habitat loss. The IUCN Red List has listed the species as least concern because it has a large range and its population is not declining quickly enough for it to be considered vulnerable.[1]