Vagrant to Eritrea (NB), Israel, Somalia (NB), South Africa (E) (NB), Togo (NB), Yemen (NB).
Major rivers and lakes of Africa south of Sahara, from Senegal east to Sudan and south-western Ethiopia, and south to extreme northern Namibia (R Kunene), northern Botswana, basin of R Zambezi and southern Mozambique; may have bred on L Nasser, Egypt, in 1987. Non-breeding visitor north-west to R Gambia and Egyptian stretches of R Nile.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 15,000 - 25,000 (2010).
African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) [XC39255]
by Peter Boesman from South Luangwa National Park Wamilombe, Zambia (flight call)
African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) [XC890539]
by Derek Solomon from Kafue National Park, Zambia (call)
Nest
An unlined scrape in the sand.
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) and Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) with some authorities suggesting that all might be conspecific, but good evidence apparently lacking.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet