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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
hammerkop,
hammerhead stork, anvilhead |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Aves |
| ORDER: |
Ciconiiformes |
| FAMILY: |
Scopidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Scopus
(broom made of twigs) umbretta (umbrella
crest) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
The
hammerkop has an all brown body, partially webbed
toes, a short tail and huge wings. It has
a distinctive large, crest on the back of the head
and a thick, long beak. |
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| SIZE: |
47.5-50
cm (19-20 in.) |
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| WEIGHT: |
415-
430 g (14.5-15.05 oz.) |
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| DIET: |
Includes
frogs, tadpoles, fish and invertebrates |
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| INCUBATION: |
Approximately
30 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
3-7
eggs |
| FLEDGING
DURATION |
7
weeks |
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| RANGE: |
South
and Central Africa, South Arabia, lowland Madagascar |
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| HABITAT: |
Inhabits
shallow fresh water lakes, ponds, swamps, and marshes |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
Hammerkops
are the smallest African stork. |
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| 2. |
Hammerkops
sometimes participate in group ceremonies. As many
as 10 birds call loudly while running round each
other in circles. Next, a male will pretend to copulate
with a female. With their crest raised, wings fluttering,
a chorus of cries continues for several minutes.
Only after this elaborate display, does breeding
take place. |
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| 3. |
These
birds are famous for their strong, three-tiered
nests. The nest is up to 180 cm (6 ft.) high,
180 cm (6 ft.) wide, and can weigh 24.75-49.5 kg
(55-110 lbs.)! It is made of sticks, reeds,
grass, and dead plant stems placed in a tree fork,
on a cliff or on the ground. Such a structure takes
3-4 months to build and can easily support a human's
weight! |
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| 4. |
Hammerhead
birds are often seen perching on the back of hippopotamuses,
searching for frogs. |
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According
to superstitions, hammerkops are bad omens, and
it is considered bad luck to harm them. Such superstitions
have kept the birds somewhat protected.
These
birds are notorious for their nest-building habit.
In fact, they often provide nests for other species
such as certain owls, geese, ducks, kestrels,
and pigeons.
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| Gotch,
A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained.
Poole, Dorst: Blandford Press, 1981. |
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|
Perrins,
C. Birds: Their Life, Their Ways, Their World.
New York: The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
1979.
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| Perrins,
C. M. And Dr. Alex L.A. Middleton, eds. The Encyclopedia
of Birds. New York: Facts on File Pub. 1985. |
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| Perrins,
C. M. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds:
The Definitive Reference to Birds of the World.
New York: Prentice Hall Press. 1990. |
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| http://www.honoluluzoo.org/hammerkop.htm |
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