Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – The Hamerkop
Find out more about this feathered Highway resident below.
THE Hamerkop is quite a distinctive-looking bird and unlikely to be confused with any other species. It is larger than most birds but considered a medium-sized wading bird with an average height of 56cm and a mass of 500g. It is uniformly brown in colour with both sexes very similar. The female is usually slightly smaller and paler in colour.
The Hamerkop’s distinguishing feature is the shape of its head with a long bill and backward-pointing crest. The combination is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its common name, which comes from the Afrikaans word for ‘hammerhead’.
Distribution
The Hamerkop is found throughout Africa as well as Madagascar and parts of Arabia.
Habitat
The Hamerkop enjoys being near wetlands such as estuaries, lakesides, riverbanks and fishponds. It is also sometimes found on rocky beaches.
Feeding
This species enjoys quite a wide range of prey, and as it feeds mainly in shallow water, it will take frogs, fish, shrimps and insects. It will also take small rodents when the opportunity arises!
Breeding
The Hamerkop is monogamous and mates for life, but the nest can be built communally by several birds. The nests are usually very untidy in appearance and enormous in size with numerous inlets and chambers. Interestingly, the nest is often ‘decorated’ with human artefact items, such as matchboxes, cloth, strips of plastic and wool. Three to nine eggs are laid, usually in winter, and the chicks hatch after approximately 27 days.
Predators and threats
The Hamerkop can defend itself quite aggressively so is left alone by most predators and is not considered threatened. The biggest threat comes from habitat destruction through the draining of wetlands for housing or farming.
Local information
This bird is not very common in our area, but they did nest at Memorial Park for a number of years and are currently nesting upstream of the park. Look for it in the few wetlands found in the Highway area.
Interesting facts
The Hamerkop is unique as it is the only living species in its genus Scopus and the family Scopidae with the rare Shoebill and pelicans as its closest relatives.
It is known as uThekwane in isiZulu and is the subject of many folklore tales as a bird of omen. A number of cultures believe it will bring bad luck if the Hamerkop’s nest is destroyed or the bird harmed. It is also seen as a symbol of pride and vanity because of its upright stance, and it is said that the Hamerkop is always well-groomed. There is even a song about this bird called Thekwane by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which describes this bird’s vanity and habit of staring and admiring its reflection in the water.
