Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Côte dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania [United Republic of], Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Vagrant to Senegal.
Introduced to Comoros.
Senegambia through coastal western Africa to Ethiopia and southern Somalia, and south through central and eastern Africa to eastern and southern South Africa; also Bioko (Fernando Póo) and Comoro Is.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) [XC633754]
by Louis A. Hansen from Unguja Ukuu (western part of Jozani NP_rarely visited_includes birds from just outside the forest), Tanzania (song)
Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) [XC292239]
by Martin St-Michel from Budongo Forest, Uganda (song)
Subspecies
All populations north of R Cunene (southern Angola) and R Zambezi formerly separated in subspecies fraseri.