African Skimmer
Rynchops flavirostris
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusRynchops (Skimmers)
- SpeciesRynchops flavirostris (African Skimmer)
The African skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) is a species of bird belonging to the skimmer genus Rynchops in the family Laridae. It is found along rivers, lakes and lagoons in Sub-Saharan Africa. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a African Skimmer sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 173 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Kruger National Park
Sooty Tern
Onychoprion fuscatus
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
Grey-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterus
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus armatus
Water Thick-knee
Burhinus vermiculatus
African Jacana
Actophilornis africanus
Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 3 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 4 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 6 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Selous Game Reserve | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 9 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 10 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 11 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 12 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 13 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 14 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 15 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 16 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 17 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 18 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 19 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 20 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 21 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 22 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 23 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 24 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 25 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a African Skimmer in Kruger National Park?
About 2% of wildlife watchers report a African Skimmer sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 173 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see African Skimmer in Kruger National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for African Skimmer in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.