Giant birds' nest under construction at Paignton Zoo
Hammerkops can make nests up to 1.5 metres wide, that can support the weight of a human
A bird that's famous for its enormous nests has started building one at Paignton Zoo.
The zoo already had a male Hammerkop, which originates from sub-Saharan Africa, and it's just taken a female in to partner it.
Since they got together, the pair have now started nest building together.
It's not an easy task - a hammerkop's nest takes about three months to build, can be up to one and a half metres wide, and can support the weight of a human when finished.
They're made from thousands of sticks, as well as grass, mud and any other items that they find.
Hamerkops tend to build multiple of these impressively large nests every year, whether they are breeding or not.
During the breeding season, females lay 3–7 eggs that the male and female both incubate for around 30 days until they hatch. The family then share the nest until the chicks are ready to fledge.
You can see the progress of this pair’s nest near the Avian Breeding Centre at Paignton Zoo.