Introducing the Birdorable Hamerkop
![Hamerkop](/img/birdorable/u/hamerkop.jpg)
The first new Birdorable bird of 2010 is this Hamerkop, a bird that lives in sub-Saharan Africa. They get their name from their hammer-shaped heads and they are also known as Hammerhead Stork or Anvilhead. We saw these birds on our trip to the Gambia a couple of years ago and instantly fell in love with these little fellows. They have such a cute head and the large bill makes it look like they're always smiling. Check out this gorgeous one sporting a nice stick for its nest.
![Hamerkop](/img/birdorable/u/hamerkop1.jpg)
Talking about nests, these birds are famous for them. Their huge nests, often built in the fork of a tree, can grow to over 5 feet (1.5 meters) across and made with over 10,000 sticks! That's one busy bird! A Hamerkop's nest is strong enough to support a man's weight. The birds like to decorate the outside of their nest with bright-colored objects that they find in the area. We saw one of these large nests, which you can see in the following picture.
![Hamerkop](/img/birdorable/u/hamerkop2.jpg)
If you like our Hamerkop check out our other African birds. Another favorite of ours from our trip to the Gambia was the Egyptian Plover.
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