Hamerkop: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Cranes and Marsh Birds · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. "Hamerkop" means hammerhead in Afrikaans. With its long bill in front and crest behind, its head really looks like a hammer.
2. Its nest can be over 1.5 m across and strong enough to hold a person. A tunnel up to 60 cm long leads inside to a cosy room.
3. One researcher worked out that a nest takes about 8,000 sticks or grass bundles. Building one takes 10 to 14 weeks.
4. Hamerkop pairs are nest-building addicts. They make three to five nests a year, even when they are not raising chicks.
5. Hamerkops follow grazing cattle and buffalo to grab the insects they disturb. They have even been seen fishing from the backs of hippos.

The quiz

1. What does "hamerkop" mean in Afrikaans?

• Rain bird
• Mud builder
• Hammerhead (correct)
• Brown shadow

Its head, with long bill and back crest, is shaped like a hammer.

2. How strong can a hamerkop nest be?

• It falls apart in light rain
• It can hold a person's weight (correct)
• It can only hold one egg
• It breaks if the bird lands on it

The huge nest can be sturdy enough to bear an adult's weight.

3. Roughly how many sticks or bunches of grass go into one nest?

• About 8,000 (correct)
• About 20
• About 300
• About 1 million

One researcher estimated about 8,000 sticks or grass bundles per nest.

4. How many nests does a hamerkop pair build each year?

• None, it uses other birds' nests
• Only one every ten years
• Exactly one
• Three to five (correct)

Pairs build three to five nests a year, breeding or not.

5. On which large animal has a hamerkop been seen fishing?

• A crocodile
• A hippopotamus (correct)
• An elephant
• A giraffe

Hamerkops have been observed fishing off the backs of hippos.

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