Reasonably Odd - The Hamerkop

Masai Mara National Reserve

Most of us travel to see new things within our spheres of interests and for the ones among us who are interested in wildlife, the change of eco systems brings with it, an exposure to creatures that we do not encounter in our home turf. The Thomson’s Gazelles in my post last week called “The Amazingly Distinctive,” impressed me with their unique beauty and grace when I visited Masai Mara as I wrote in that post. The same safaris that introduced me to those graceful and unique creatures also exposed me to another creature that was the opposite of pretty much all that traits that the Antelope were exhibiting. This poor species bears the brunt of many a joke and ridicule across the African continent and I honestly believe that it all starts with how my guy in the photos here looks. Shaped unlike most birds and bearing resemblance to the sausage like shape of the Dachshund, these unique looking birds are so distinct that they are the only species in their scientific family and as it turns out, these guys might just have deceived us by seeming silly when they were actually quite the opposite in reality. The joke it seems, has been on us because we were quick to judge by physical attributes alone and these guys have pretty good reasons for doing the Hamerkop like only the Hamerkops can and given how they have a whole different standard for everything including how they look, these guys just knew better all along.

With a name that translates to “Hammer Head” which comes from their uniquely shaped heads, these birds are often seen walking along the Savannah floor, near water bodies all around Africa, Madagascar and Arabia. My first impression of these guys had me smiling as did the jokes that David made about these birds who seemed to have a perpetual grin on their faces as well while they strut about their business with their oddly shaped, long bodies. We can say what we want about these unique birds but we must admit that it’s this uniqueness of the species that has had us watching and coming up with stories about them for centuries in actuality. It’s his looks that makes us curious about this bird and it’s that curiosity that’s made them the subject of scrutiny which in turn led to whatever reputation the species ended up gathering for itself in time. My guy looks odd in comparison to most birds and exhibits quite a few traits that make him stand out in comparison to the rest.

These guys are medium sized waterbirds who get upto around 22 inches and 470 gms. There are two sub species and one of those is smaller in size. Most of them are sedentary in nature and they hold territories in pairs which they might migrate out of during the wet season. These birds form pair bonds for life and it’s the pair bond that controls the territory as far as others of the same species are concerned. Given that lifestyle, they are usually seen foraging around water bodies alone or in pairs. They are sometimes seen abandoning this feeding habit though and one can sometimes catch these guys feeding as a flock under special circumstances which usually includes times of local abundance of food which happens when water bodies dry up or when they follow other large mammals who flush out insects and frogs with their movements. They also congregate around fishing docks and lakesides to feed upon fish scraps and discarded heads left behind by fishermen. They are generalists and their diet consists of amphibians, fish, insects and rodents. Not being too picky about what they eat, these guys easily make do with what’s available in any local eco system within the huge range that they inhabit as a species. These birds have evolved a system where they dip a foot into muddy water and then shake it to flush out prey and it’s this foot trembling technique of hunting that’s brought about many jokes about these resourceful hunters. These guys also spread their wings to cast shade over the water which reduces glare and attracts or reveals small fish and amphibians. It’s easy to see how these antics of the species has brought curiosity and comment and given how they look, the sight of them engaging in these acts just compounded the already humorous reputation that their name brought for them in the first place. These birds also excel at traditional mechanisms like hunting by sight and probing with their bills like other avians who they compete with for prey in their habitat. They are often seen skirting over the water with their feet dipped slightly, gently grazing the water while they lock in on a target to lift. A joke about this bird revolves around the fact that they are seen often picking up and dropping frogs into the water because they are clumsy hunters but in actuality, these birds have gotten wise to the toxic bodies of many frog species and they have evolved a system to intentionally manipulate and rinse off frogs to rid them of their toxins before swallowing them. Hamerkops are remarkably tolerant to the presence of Humans and have used the presence of Humans to their benefit. They often use man-made water resources for their needs and follow livestock around so that they can reap the benefits of the disruption of areas that livestock walk in to their benefit as trampling on grass flushes out their prey. These guys are also known to adorn their nests with Human items and you can easily search for the humorous collection of man-made things that people have chanced upon in their nests.

The nests of this species are the topics of much discussion, comment and humour as well because unlike most birds who prefer to stay out of the limelight, these guys have chosen to build big and plentifully. Regarded by many as the strangest feature of Hamerkop life, these guys build nests that can get well over 4 feet wide and they build them strong enough to take a grown man’s weight. Often built on the fork of a tree and over water, their nests can also be found on the ground or on human built walls or dams. The pair starts with making a platform of sticks held together with mud and then builds walls and a domed roof. The mud plastered entrance to their nest leads to a tunnel which opens up to the nesting chamber big enough for the parents and their young. These nests can take upto 14 weeks to build and researchers have estimated that upto 8000 sticks are gathered for the task and nesting material is often added even after the nest is completed and the eggs laid. These birds add an assortment of items into their nests which include, bones, hide and human waste. These guys are compulsive nest builders who construct upto five nests per year irrespective of the fact whether they are breeding or not. They build these huge elaborate nests which may be taken over by other species like owls, weavers, starlings, snakes and even small mammals and they just keep on building more all over their territory for reasons perhaps still best known to them alone. Breeding happens year-round in East Africa and the same peaks at different times across the huge range of the species after pairs engage in a breeding display. The clutch consists of three to seven eggs which are incubated by both parents of the species and the eggs hatch within a month or so. Upon hatching, the young are fed by both the parents who leave the young alone in the nest for periods that are unusually long for wading birds and is possible because of their unusually thick nest walls. The young leave the nest within 50 days or so of hatching but continue to use the parent’s nest for roosting until they are about two months old.

There are many legends that surround these residents of Africa, Madagascar and Arabia and their historical perception by Humans is part of legends which sometimes view these creatures in a positive way while others depict them in a negative manner. There are quite a few legends from around Africa that deter individuals from disturbing their elaborate nests and others that have given these creatures the name of the “Lightning Bird” stating that robbing a Hamerkop’s nest led to people being struck by lightning. Whatever the reason or motive behind these tales from a long time ago, it’s clear that the species has been a part of the culture of the Humans within their range. Photographing these guys isn’t a tough call at all and Aperture Priority works well enough with them unless you chance upon one of these guys hunting over water, for which I’d recommend being at over 1/4500 at Shutter Priority. These guys are not shy around Humans at all and they photograph well given their unique shape, that perpetual smile and their unique feathers that make it look like they have a coat on with a large collar.

The Hamerkop was a complete surprise and was probably the most unique creature that I’d met up until I ran into the Frogmouth last year. They’ve had the spotlight as far as Humans are concerned because of their unique looks and behaviour and that’s what makes them special. Their habit of building multiple nests might seem odd at first but then if you think about it, perhaps these guys just know that there’s always a demand for their elaborate nests among usurpers who they cannot take on. Now you can’t really blame a guy for planning ahead now, can you?

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