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The hamerkop is a medium-sized wading bird. It is the only living species in the genus Scopus and the family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but is now placed with the Pelecaniformes, and its closest relatives are thought to be the pelicans and the shoebill. The hamerkop is a sedentary bird that often shows local movements. The hamerkop takes a wide range of prey, mostly fish and amphibians, but shrimps, insects and rodents are taken too. Prey is usually hunted in shallow water, either by sight or touch, but the species is adaptable and will take any prey it can. The Hamerkop is silent when alone. If several birds call at the same time, the noise is loud and distracting. The song is a series of shrill piping whistles. During displays, it produces a series of nasal notes described as “yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-prrrrrrrrr” or similar.
Scientific name: Scopus umbretta
Conservation status: Least Concern (Population stable)
Family: Scopidae
Lifespan: about 20 years
Kingdom: Animalia
Order: Pelecaniformes
Distribution:
Distribution:
Hamerkops are found in Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar, and coastal south-west Arabia. Most populations are sedentary but some migrate into suitable habitat during the wet season only. These birds live in all wetland habitats, including rivers, streams, seasonal pools, estuaries, reservoirs, marshes, mangroves, and irrigated land such as rice paddies, savannahs, woodlands, and forests as well as semi-deserts with available water. Hamerkops need shallow water in which to forage. In Tanzania, they have recently begun to feed on rocky shores. In Arabia, they are found in rocky wadis with running water and trees. They also readily feed and breed in villages and other human-created habitats.
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