The
hamerkop (
Scopus umbretta) is a medium-sized wading bird. It is the only living species in the genus
Scopus and the family Scopidae. Its closest relatives are thought to be the
pelicans and the
shoebill, in the order
Pelecaniformes. 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 Africa and Arabia, living in a wide variety of
wetlands, including
estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds,
riverbanks, and rocky coasts. This hamerkop was photographed at
Lake Baringo in Kenya.
Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp
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