Hamerkop
Scopus umbretta
| Size: | 55 cm long |
| Habitat: | Wetlands, mainly inland |
| Feeding: | Frogs, fish, invertebrates |
The Hamerkop is an aquatic bird, sometimes called Hammerhead or Umber Bird. It is chocolate brown in colour with a short neck and legs which make it looked rather "hunched". It has a crest of feathers which project backwards rather than upwards.
The most unusual behaviour of these birds is the compulsive nest building. They create enormous nests made of twigs, more than 1 metre wide and able to support the weight of a man. They build several of these nests each year, even when they are not breeding!
This photo was taken in the Selous National Park, Tanzania.
Click on any of the photographs on this site to see a larger image.
