Hamerkop Profile: The Hammer-Headed Bird and Its Giant Nest

Its name comes from the Afrikaans word for hammer-head, and it is the only living member of its own family, so it has no close relatives among the herons, storks or ibises it is often compared with. Hamerkops live quietly beside rivers, lakes, dams and even roadside ditches across most of sub-Saharan Africa.

This profile explains how to recognise a hamerkop, what it eats, why its nest is so remarkable and where in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda you are most likely to enjoy a good sighting.

This guide is part of our animals of Uganda and East Africa guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Identification

A hamerkop is uniformly dark brown, with a slightly paler throat and a faint purple sheen on the back in good light. The head is the giveaway: a long, flattened bill balances a heavy crest that projects behind the neck, producing a hammer silhouette that is unmistakable once you have seen it. The legs are fairly short and black, the neck is held in a relaxed hunch, and in flight the broad, rounded wings and stout shape look more like a small, dark stork than a heron. Birds standing quietly at the water edge can look drab until they turn sideways and the crest gives them away.

Habitat and Range

Hamerkops are found across most of sub-Saharan Africa and into Madagascar and south-west Arabia, wherever shallow, fish- and frog-rich water is within reach. They favour river margins, lake shores, seasonal pools, swamps, reservoirs and the edges of papyrus, and they are comfortable close to people, appearing at village ponds and small farm dams. They avoid dense forest and very dry desert. In East Africa they are one of the most widespread wetland birds, so almost any lodge with a pool, stream or lake frontage has a chance of a resident pair nearby.

The Giant Nest

Hamerkops build huge domed nests, often in the fork of a tree, on a rock ledge, or occasionally on a riverside cliff or building. A pair gathers sticks, reeds, grass and mud, weaving them into a platform, a roof and a side tunnel entrance, and the finished structure can be large enough to bear the weight of a person standing on it. Building takes a long time, and pairs often start several nests. Because so much effort goes into them, nests are valuable: owls, monitor lizards, snakes, bees, mongooses and other birds frequently move in once the hamerkops have finished or moved on.

Diet and Feeding

Hamerkops hunt by walking slowly in shallows, sometimes stirring the water with a foot to flush prey, then striking with the bill. They eat frogs and tadpoles above all, along with small fish, crabs and large aquatic insects, and they will take other small animals from the margins. They also hunt from a perch or fly low over the water. Feeding is mostly solitary or in pairs, although several birds may gather at a drying pool where prey is concentrated. Early morning and late afternoon are the most active periods.

Behaviour and Social Life

Pairs are usually seen together and appear to be strongly bonded. Courtship includes displays on top of the nest, with crests raised, wings opened and loud, high calls, and groups sometimes perform circling and chasing displays that observers have called ritual dances. Both parents build, incubate and feed the chicks. Young birds remain at the nest for several weeks and are fed on regurgitated food. Hamerkops are widely tolerated by local communities, and in some places traditional beliefs surround the bird, which is one reason nests are often left undisturbed.

Where to See Hamerkops in East Africa

In Uganda, look along the Kazinga Channel and Mweya shoreline in Queen Elizabeth National Park, on the Victoria Nile below Murchison Falls and around the lakes of Lake Mburo. In Kenya, Lake Naivasha, Lake Baringo and the Mara River margins are reliable, and in Tanzania the Serengeti streams and Tarangire pools often hold a pair. In Rwanda, the wetlands of Akagera are the best bet. Nests are often easier to spot than birds.

Viewing and Photography Tips

Hamerkops allow a fairly close approach from a vehicle or a boat, provided you move slowly and avoid sudden noise. Photograph from the side to show the crest, and wait for a bird to hunt, since the dark plumage lights up against pale water at low sun angles. Exposure needs care: the brown body can lose detail against bright reflections, so underexpose slightly. Never climb on or disturb nests, because other species may be using them. For general advice see safari photography tips and the East Africa birding guide.

Related Species

Compare the hamerkop with the saddle-billed stork, the goliath heron and the yellow-billed stork, which hunt in the same shallows, and with the African jacana, which shares the same wetland edges. The fish eagle and kingfishers share the same prey.

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