Any idea on the builder?

This nest has been at this spot in sentral SA for many years. I always thought it was a big raptor nest.

On my last visit I investigated more and found a curious thing, round hole in the middle....could this be an owl nest? Was the birder mislead by the bird?? hahaha

Maybe Hamerkop?

Resin

Resin, great call. I've done some reading and here is the some info. Must say, I did not expect it....thanks!

Huge oven-shaped mass of sticks, reeds, weeds and debris, including manmade artefacts; in stout fork of tree, cliff ledge, rock in river, rarely on ground or sandbank, at any height up to 20 m; may be built cooperatively by 4 or more birds; measures up to 2 m in diameter, with roof 1 m or more thick; chamber 30-50 cm diameter roughly plastered with mud; entrance tunnel 13-18 cm diameter, 40-60 cm long, smoothly plastered with mud, faces outward and downward to least accessible part of site; nest weighs 25-50 kg; takes 3 weeks to 6 months to complete, material added continually; built by both sexes; started as bowl shape, then sides and roof added; roof withstands weight of fullgrown man; nest sometimes taken over by bees, owls or other birds.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/birdfiles/go/2004/

Link to Hammerkop in davesgarden.

http://www.bushveld.co.za/pictures-of-hamerkop.htm on this site there is a pic of similar nest.

This message was edited Jun 15, 2010 12:24 PM