List of Birds of The Gambia - Hamerkop

Hamerkop

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Scopidae

Hamerkops are medium-sized, all-brown wading birds named for their hammer-headed appearance, which is created by the combination of their shaggy backwards-pointing crests and their heavy black bills. Typically found in wetland areas, they forage in shallow water for amphibians, small fish, crustaceans, insects, worms and small mammals. They build enormous, complex nests—which they generally use for only a matter of months—and occupy their territories year-round. There is only a single species, which is found in The Gambia.

• Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta