Hamerkop

Also known as Umbrette, Hammerhead Bird, Hammerhead Stork

Hamerkops are medium-sized wading birds famous for their backward-pointing crest and heavy bill that together form a distinctive hammer-shaped profile. They build enormous domed stick nests up to two meters wide in tree forks near water, often decorating the outside with colourful bright objects and debris. These tireless wetland foragers frequently execute elaborate social displays, bowing, running in circles, and uttering piercing yelps near shallow mudflats.