Animals

INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION:
Also called hammerheads. The hammerkop have many legends and superstitions connected with them. Some cultures consider it to be magical and others consider it an evil omen. It is thought by some to be a “shape-changer” since people see the hammerkop fly in and then see another animal, such as a cobra, leave the nest. Since it is held in a position of respect, the bird survives and flourishes in the presence of man.

LIFE CYCLE:
A sedentary species which remains in a well-defined territory, although some pairs will move to normally dry areas when the seasonal rains fill dry holes and ditches. Hammerheads are also to be seen in group ceremonies, usually near a nest. As many as ten birds may call loudly while running round each other in circles, a male sometimes mounting a crouching female and pretending to copulate. Crests are raised, wings fluttered and a chorus of cries continues for several minutes. True mating is usually done at the nest site, using displays similar to those used during larger gatherings. The 3-7 whitish eggs are incubated for about 30 days by both parents (although very frequently partly incubated clutches will be abandoned). The young make their first flight at about 7 weeks but may return nightly for up to a month thereafter to roost in the nest.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Forbes, Peter. 19985. Flightless Birds and Birds of Prey, Torstar Books,

DESCRIPTION: An all-brown bird of 19-20 inches. Toes are partly webbed. A short tail and huge wings enable it to glide and soar easily, which it does with its head stretched forward. The crest on the back of the head mirrors the stout beak and produces the hammerhead shape from which the species takes its name.

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE: South and Central Africa, South Arabia, lowland Madagascar. Shallow fresh water, lakes, ponds, and marshes.

DIET: Hammerkops feed on frogs, fish and invertebrates.

Single hump. Head and body length: 10 feet. Shoulder height: 6-7 feet. Weight: 1000-1500 pounds. Body is carried on long, slender legs ending in two toes beneath which is a broad, callous and elastic pad. Neck and head are both elongated. Upper lip is deeply cleft. Short tail. Eyes are heavily lashed. Ears are haired. Nostrils are slit-like. Coloration is fawn or beige. Coat is smooth and shorter than that of the Bactrian camel, but equally woolly.

Giraffe drink water if it is available but can go weeks without it; they rely on the morning dew and the water content of of their food. Their very long necks are an adaptation to feeding at high levels in the treetops. The neck veins contain valves and a network of tiny veins (rete mirabile) to prevent blackouts when the animal lowers its head to drink. In addition to keeping track of predators, their extreme long-range visual acuity enables visual communication with other giraffe over several miles. Giraffe can run at speeds up to 35 mph.

Highly selective browsers feeding primarily on a variety of Acacia and Combretum species. Over a hundred species may be eaten, depending on what is seasonally available. Although mostly leaves and shoots are taken, giraffe also eat flowers, vines and herbs. Giraffe have also been seen to eat weaver-bird nests with young inside, and may chew on bones, perhaps to gain additional minerals. An average of 16-20 hours per day are spent feeding and up to 140 lbs of fresh browse are taken. Thorns do not seem to be a deterrent to feeding; the long, prehensile, muscular tongue (which can be extended up to 18 inches), thick, gluey saliva, and special upper palate shape enable the giraffe to process thorny foods. They are ruminants with a 4-chambered stomach.