Hamerkop
Sign in to savethumb|Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), also called the umbrette, is a medium-sized 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 shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown p
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The hamerkop is a medium-sized waterbird named for its distinctive hammer-shaped head, featuring a long bill and a crest at the back. It is the only living species in its genus and family (Scopidae), and scientists now believe its closest relatives are pelicans and the shoebill, rather than the stork family where it was previously classified.
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Species
Least ConcernDer Hammerkopf oder Schattenvogel (Scopus umbretta) ist ein bis zu 56 cm großer Wasservogel, der in Afrika südlich der Sahara weit verbreitet ist. Weil seine näheren Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse ungeklärt sind, wird er meistens einer eigenen Familie Scopidae zugeordnet.
via IUCN
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Article
11 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy and systematics
- Subspecies
- Description
- Distribution and habitat
- Behaviour and ecology
- Social behaviour and calls
- Food and feeding
- Breeding
- Relationship with humans
- References
- External links
thumb|Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), also called the umbrette, is a medium-sized 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 shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown plumage. It is found in mainland Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts. 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 species is renowned for its enormous nests, several of which are built during the breeding season. Unusually for a wading bird, the nest has an internal nesting chamber where the eggs are laid. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.