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African Skimmer

Rynchops flavirostris

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-4.30396, 15.2692

Field Notes

Description:

Size of the gull, in general black appearance with a bright orange bill and white cheeks, throat and upper chest.

Habitat:

Seen this couple on dunes of a temporary sandy island on river Congo, somewhere between Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Common sub-Saharan shore bird.

Notes:

Wikipedia puts this species into the family Laridae; while according to much of literature I use in the field, and the AFBID site, the African Skimmer belong to fam Rynchopidae (Skimmer) of order Charadriiformes...

Reference Links:

African skimmer - Wikipedia, African Bird Club

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (5)
DanielePralong
Congratulations Zlatan, this striking pair are our Spotting of the Day! "Spotted right on the border between DRC and the Republic of Congo, these rather extraordinary African Skimmers (Rynchops flavirostris) are our Spotting of the Day! Agronomist and aid worker Zlatan Celebic spotted this pair on a temporary sandy island on the river Congo between Kinshasa and Brazzaville. The African Skimmer has a unique bill structure, with the lower mandible much longer than the upper mandible and flattened sideways like scissor blades to help with fishing" Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/pb.10150120463815603.-2207520000.1497737349./10158885693080603/?type=3&theater Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/876199030476464129

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Birds of Africa
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Photographed
PublishedJune 16, 2017

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