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Birdle

All birds
Hamerkop

Hamerkop

Scopus umbretta

The Hamerkop is a medium-sized brown wading bird found across sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, named for its distinctive hammer-shaped head formed by its bill and backward-pointing crest. It builds enormous stick nests — sometimes two meters across — that are among the largest of any bird. It hunts frogs and fish in shallow wetlands and streams.

Fun Fact

The Hamerkop builds one of the largest nests of any bird — a domed structure up to 6 feet wide.

Attributes

TypeWading Bird
Habitatwetland
SizeMedium
Dietfish
FlightStandard
Colorsbrown
MigratoryNo
ContinentsAfrica
Nest Typeplatform
ConservationLeast Concern
Difficulty: hard