Male Hammerkop M.C.

Zulu Name: i-Tekwane Xhosa name: Uthekwane

Physical Characteristics:

The Hammerkop is a dusky brown water bird about the size of a cattle egret--about 20 inches long. It has a superficial resemblance to both herons and storks. It is neither, but rather a distinct species in a separate family.

Its thick square crest is the origin of its name. Hammerkop means hammerhead in Dutch. It has black legs and a black bill tipped with hook.

The bird's short tail and large wings enable it to soar and glide easily, which it does with its head stretched forward. Sexes are alike.

The Hammerkop vocalizes with a series of shrill piping whistles. When several birds are communicating, the noise is loud and distracting.

Female Hammerkop

Distribution and Habitat:

It resides throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and Yemen in suitable localities, occurring on inland waters, especially slowly-running streams. Lake margins and marshes are also common habitats.

In Kenya it is common along the Athi River in Nairobi National Park and in the Amboseli National Park.

Behavior:

It is a sedentary species, remaining in a well-defined territory, although some pairs will move to normally dry areas when the seasonal rain fills ditches and holes.

They are usually seen in pairs. In courtship two, three, or more birds dance, call, hop on each other's backs, stretch their wings, and raise their crests. The Hammerkop is thought to have supernatural powers by indigenous people.

Diet:

The Hammerkop feeds largely on frogs and tadpoles. Fish, insects and crustaceans are also taken.

Reproduction and Growth:

The Hammerkop is noted for the enormous size of its nest which it prefers to build of sticks in a tree fork near water. But wherever man-made dams or canals are built along the savanna and trees are not available, it will build its huge nest on a wall or convenient ledge.

The nest can be compared to an apartment building, housing several generations of Hammerkops and other animals as well. Weaver birds often build their nests under the shelter of the Hammerkop's huge structure.

The thick walls of the nest protect the young while their parents leave for long periods of time, foraging for food. The chamber of the nest is lined with clay and it has a downward -facing entrance hall on one side.

The female lays 3-7 whitish eggs, and both parents help with incubation and care of the young. Incubation takes about 30 days. The young make their first flight when they are seven weeks old, but often return nightly for a month or more to roost in the nest.

African Superstition:

The hammerkop is viewed by many African tribes people with superstitious awe.  They will go so far as to remove their huts if a hammerkop is seen to fly directly overhead.