African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris)
About the 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. African skimmers have long wings, with a black back, hindneck, and crown. The forehead and rest of the body is white, with a bright, long, orange beak that ends with a yellow tip (black tip when immature), hence the specific name flavirostris, "yellow-beak". Their short forked tail is white, and their legs are bright red. The average size is about 38 cm (15 in) long. Their voice is a sharp "kip-kip". Their bill structure is unique; the lower mandible is much longer than the upper mandible, and is flattened sideways like scissor blades.
No audio on this page yet
We only publish recordings we may use commercially, because this site is supported by ads. xeno-canto lists 12 recordings for this species: 1 CC BY-NC-SA · 1 CC BY-NC-ND. None of them permits commercial use, so there is no player here — the page is kept as a profile so the bird is not missing from the guide.
As soon as someone uploads a freely licensed recording, we mirror it and the player appears here.
Listed as recorded in Botswana, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe in the xeno-canto catalogue.
Other birds you can hear here
- African GoshawkAccipiter tachirorecording
- African Wood OwlStrix woodfordiirecording
- BrubruNilaus aferrecording
- Chinspot BatisBatis molitorrecording
- Crested FrancolinOrtygornis sephaenarecording
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacarecording
These are the birds recorded alongside it, not close relatives — the site holds no other member of its genus or family yet.