the systematic position of the approximately 50 cm of big shadow-bird or hammer-head is not quite clear. Since also no fossil-findings, with whose help this typically African bird can be classified, are known, some authors place it into an independent order of the birds. Anatomical characteristics and certain behaviors indicate on herons as well as. Störche to, the Federlingsfauna (plumage-parasites) on the other hand points out a relationship to the plovers. The best, the shadow-bird is relative with the waders well.
Spread The home of the hammer-head is Africa, from Sierra Leone as far as to the Sudan, and southwards as far as at the cape of the good hope, Madagascar and the southwest of the Arabic peninsula.
Shape Hammer-heads have an exclusively brown plumage. Beak, legs and feet are black. The middle-long, at the side compressed beak and a mop of hair-good feather-bonnet at the rear-head gives a hammer-similar look to the head. Both sexes resemble from, the females for usually remain somewhat smaller.
Way of life Mainly, shadow-birds, usually individually or in pairs, move in swampy terrain during the twilight and in the night and in land on water-approaches areas around, about after mollusks, insects, cancer-animals, amphibians and fishings, to seek. Squabs live from tadpoles (frog-larvae) for the most part. In the flat-water, hammer-heads frequently whirl up the mud with powerful foot-movements in order to startle food-animals.
Since many say itself about the hammer-head supple, an annoyance of this bird should bring only accident to the trouble-maker after what, one often meets it also near settlements where it leads an undisturbed existence and becomes occasionally even tame.
Hammer-heads visit certain silence-trees regularly. In the flight, they stretch the big head exactly forward (different than herons). Hammer-heads show an odd flight-picture together with the quite long wings (30-33 cm) - opposite the more dainty torso - if they strive toward its resting places.
Reproduction The nest of the hammer-heads is very extensive, 1,5-1,8 m of diameter!) with an only small inner-chamber (0,3-0,5 m) and is positioned in trees from branches highly above (in 5-13 m of height). The small entrance is in a badly accessible position at the side below; its round edge is usually from-dressed with mud. Occasionally, hammer-heads set its nest also on boulders. Both partners need 6 months until the completion occasionally; at the outside-surface, they often install all sorts of "ornament-work", even rags and bones. According to a widespread (inaccurate) legend, several birds should collaborate at the extensive construction together.
The nest consists of 3-7 white eggs (4,5 x 3,5 cm) and becomes erbrütet approximately from both alto-birds for 30 days. Dependent on the respective geographical situation, the brood-period of the hammer-heads begins to quite different seasons. Particularly during the Balzzeit, shadow-birds present particular "dances", with what they also jump quite highly into the air and knock out reputation "japsende", at meetings with Artgenossen.
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