Pelicans are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. Hamerkops, also called the umbrette, is a medium-sized water bird with brown plumage.
Hamerkops are found in mainland Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts.
Pelicans are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before swallowing. They have predominantly pale plumage, except for the Brown and Peruvian Pelicans.
