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Seasonally of occurrence too complex and poorly documented to be mapped accurately (map largely hypothetical). Moves away from equator, both N & S, to breed during rains, being primarily wet-season breeding visitor S of c. 5 S. Main periods of occurrence: S Tanzania, Dec-Apr; Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, Nov- May; Malawi, Dec-Apr; Mozambique, Oct-Mar; Namibia and South Africa, Nov-May; scattered dry-season records from SE Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe Namibia and South Africa show that some birds remain after breeding when suitable habitat persists. Stragglers to Namib desert and Namibia W coast attributed to effect of prolonged E winds. In E Africa, occurs in W & C Kenya mostly Apr-Dec; occurs W Sudan only in rains (probably breeds). Apparently resident throughout year in some W African countries, but shows marked N-S seasonal movements in Nigeria, where many move N in rains to breed, and most records from S are in dry season; similar movements noted Senegal, Gambia, Ivory Coast and Cameroon; May-Jul passage noted in SW Central African Republic; local movements noted Sierra Leone. Seasonally occurring non-breeding populations located coastal Kenya, May-Dec, and NE Gabon, Oct-Mar (not mapped). Migrates at night, when hits lighted windows and is found in city centres; caught at lights in mist, S Tanzania and SE Kenya, May and Nov. Vagrant to Sao Tomé and Bioko I.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1996)

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