This species is Namibia's only truly endemic bird, occurring entirely within the Namib sand sea in the south-central Namib Desert. Its population size is unknown, but its area of occupancy is about 22,500 km2, of which most (170,940 km2) is contained within protected areas of the Dorob and Namib-Naukluft national parks. It is also protected in the NamibRand and Gondwana Namib Desert private parks.