Where to see
Where to see the African Skimmer in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the African Skimmer at stays in or beside Kruger National Park.
Rynchops flavirostris
Planning a trip
When and where to find the African Skimmer
Hosts have recorded the African Skimmer at stays in or beside Kruger National Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Rynchops flavirostris
Records
88
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the African Skimmer on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the African Skimmer in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the African Skimmer at stays in or beside Kruger National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the African Skimmer in South Africa?
The African Skimmer is most recorded in Mpumalanga (66% of records), KwaZulu-Natal (25% of records), Limpopo (7% of records), based on 88 iNaturalist observations. 4 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the African Skimmer on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the African Skimmer?
The African Skimmer is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the African Skimmer?
The African skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) is a near-threatened 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.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the African Skimmer
Every stay on the African Skimmer page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay