African scissorbills are intra-African aquatic and migratory birds. These birds are from sub-Saharan Africa and extend their distribution to Burundi. The coastline of Lake Tanganyika and particularly the Rusizi Delta seems to be their favorite place. This species has become a global concern due to its small population and may continue to decline, hence its classification on the IUCN Red List as a near threatened species (NT).

In Burundi, its habitat is essentially threatened by the expansion of agglomerations following a galloping population and related problems as well as inadequate farming and fishing methods that result in an expansion of their food stocks.