Hamerkop nest

Hard to believe, but this enormous nest belongs to a small bird, the Hamerkop. It is quite compulsive in building these huge nests, building 3-5 per year. Each nest can contain up to 10,000 sticks.

comments (6)

Stephen Philips

Lion

Hard to reference size here. The point of 10,000 sticks is well taken. If one is not familiar with the characteristics of the tree there is nothing else to determine actual size. Posted 10 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Have a look at the "behavior" section on the below page
  http://www.jungledragon.com/specie/982
  
  It says something about the size and many of other bizarre behaviors this bird has. Posted 10 years ago

Christine Young

Lion

OCD nest building! Posted 7 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Here's one trying to get each of the 10,000 sticks just right....
  Posted 7 years ago
2. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  Very cool, what an extremist it is. Let's not stop here. I can think of only one group of birds out-architecting the hamerkop: bowerbirds!
  
  https://www.jungledragon.com/wildlife/photos/animalia/chordata/aves/passeriformes/ptilonorhynchidae
  
  Hope you have heard of them, if not, check out some videos on Youtube. They are mind blowing and hilarious. Once scene I will never forget is a bowerbird building a palace out of shiny jewel beetles, using them as decoration. Yet the beetles were alive and kept moving, and the bird was in an endless loop reorganizing them. Posted 7 years ago
3. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Yes, I love bowerbirds! They are AWESOME and so funny, yet I feel so sorry for them and my heart kind of breaks for them! Such hard work and obsessive behavior only to have to keep fixing it! Must be stressful and frustrating! Poor, silly birds! And, the garbage they use to decorate! A sad commentary on the state of our environment. Posted 7 years ago

The Hamerkop

The Hamerkop, also known as Hammerkop, Hammerkopf, Hammerhead, Hammerhead Stork, Umbrette, Umber Bird, Tufted Umber, or Anvilhead, is a medium-sized wading bird. The shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name.

Info 12 4

Similar species: Pelicans, Herons, Ibises

Species identified by Ferdy Christant