The Hamerkop - Scopus umbretta - is the sole member of its family and is so different that it is one of the really iconic species of Africa south of the Sahara. In terms of taxonomic uniqueness the Hamerkop is equal in rank to the Shoebill!  The shape of its head with a black, long, flat, and slightly hooked bill, a crest at the back of the head is reminiscent of a hammer. Its plumage is a drab brown with purple iridescence on the back. Its tail is short and its wings are big, wide, and round-tipped.

The Hamerkop occurs in Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar and coastal southwest Arabia in wetland habitats, including irrigated land, as well as in savannas and forests. Most Hamerkop remain sedentary in their territories.

Vocalizations include cackles and a shrill call given in flight. Hamerkops are mostly silent except when in groups.

Hamerkop feed during the day and normally feed alone. They feed mainly on amphibians such as Platanna frogs and other frogs. Other food consists of small fish, shrimp, rodents and insects. Hamerkop use a variety of foraging techniques, such as wading through the water and stabbing/grabbing prey, still-hunting at the water's edge or pouncing on prey from the air.

The Hamerkop's behavior is unlike any other bird. One unusual feature is that up to ten birds join in "ceremonies" in which they run circles around each other, all calling loudly, raising their crests, fluttering their wings. Another is "false mounting", in which one bird stands on top of another and appears to mount it, but they may not be mates and do not copulate.

There are many legends about the Hamerkop. It is known in some cultures as the lightening bird, and the Bushman believe that being hit by lightning resulted from trying to rob a Hamerkop's nest. They also believe that the inimical god Khauna would not like anyone to kill a Hamerkop. According to an old Malagasy belief, anyone who destroys its nest will get Leprosy and a Malagasy poem calls it an "evil bird". Such beliefs have given the bird some protection.

The strangest aspect of Hamerkop behavior is the huge nest it builds. When possible, they build the nest in the fork of a tree, often over water. A pair starts by making a platform of sticks held together with mud, then builds walls and a domed roof. A mud-plastered entrance 13 to 18 cm wide in the bottom leads through a tunnel up to 60 cm long to a nesting chamber big enough for the parents and young. The nest is usually built by both sexes, with construction taking anything from 40-43 days to several months. Other animals often usurp the nest of the Hamerkop, such as bees, reptiles and other birds, including Owls and Egyptian Geese.

These birds are compulsive nest builders, constructing 3 to 5 nests per year whether they are breeding or not. At the finished nest, a pair gives displays similar to those of the group ceremonies and mates, often on top of the nest.

The breeding season is almost year-round, peaking from July to January in South Africa. The clutch consists of 3 to 7 white eggs and are incubated for between 26 and 30 days by both sexes. Both parents feed the young, often leaving them alone for long periods. The young hatch covered with gray down. By 17 days after hatching, their head and crest plumage is developed, and in a month, their body plumage. They leave the nest at 44 to 50 days but roost in it at night until about two months after hatching.

The status of the Hamerkop has changed dramatically in the past two decades, and is now a species of real conservation concern.

These Iconic birds can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -

Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Aves Eastern Cape Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.

Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North East Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves Western Cape Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.

Aves West Coast Birding Tour / Safari /Adventure.