Hammerhead Shark Size Comparison: Just How Big Do They Get?

When you hear their name and see their heads, you quickly put two and two together. These sharks have distinctive hammer-like heads (though some are more hammer-like than others). There are different types of hammerheads, each with its own average size. Learn more about hammerhead shark sizes and discover just how big they get!

Types of Hammerheads and Hammerhead Shark Sizes

Winghead Shark

Scientific name: Eusphyra blochii

Winghead sharks are a type of hammerhead that can reach up to five feet long. They are typically gray-brown and on their underside, they have a whitish color. These sharks hunt at the bottom of the sea, turning small fish into snacks. Winghead sharks are wide, and it looks like they have a wing on each side.                                                                                                                                       

Great Hammerhead

Scientific name: Sphyrna mokarran

Great hammerheads are 10 to 14 feet long; however, the largest ever recorded was 20 feet long! These huge sharks experience live births and can have anywhere between six to 50 pups at a time every two years. Researchers are puzzled by some of their behavior. For example, their cannibalistic nature needs to be studied further. These sharks consume hammerheads as well as their own little ones.

Bonnethead

Scientific name: Sphyrna tiburo

These sharks are one of the smallest types of hammerhead. They reach anywhere between two feet up to five feet long. Bonnetheads tend to gather in gender groups and when it is time for the females to give birth, they look for shallow waters. An interesting fact about these sharks is they can reproduce without a male.

Scalloped Bonnethead

Scientific name: Sphyrna corona

Scalloped bonnetheads make up a rare hammerhead species. These are similar in size to regular bonnetheads, reaching up to 4.5 feet long. Their heads are a bit more pronounced than regular bonnethead sharks, however. The young do not always reach adulthood, and the species as a whole has diminished due to overfishing and death following fishing gear accidents. Their conservation status is currently “Near Threatened.”

Smooth Hammerhead

Scientific name: Sphyrna zygaena

These sharks are about 10 to 14 feet long. There’s something different about these sharks worth noting.
They have round heads, unlike other hammerheads. Therefore, they possess a much broader perception that gives them a 360-degree view of their surroundings at all times.

Scoop-head

Scientific name: Sphyrna media

Scoop-head sharks are one of the smaller types of hammerheads, reaching up to five feet long. They are normally found in shallow waters off the coast of Central and South America.

Whitefin Hammerhead

Scientific name: Sphyrna couardi

Whitefin hammerheads are about five to six feet long when fully grown. These sharks have a somewhat sophisticated palate, as they prefer crabs, lobsters, squids, and octopuses. On occasion, they snack on small shark species.

Compare Hammerhead Shark Sizes

Hammerhead vs. Human

Hammerheads (great hammerheads in particular) can reach up to 20 feet long! Whereas adult human males are on average 5.9 feet tall, and females are 5.4 feet, hammerheads can grow to more than triple the size of a human. However, a human male who grows over six feet tall could be longer from head to toe than some hammerhead species, which may max out at four or five feet long.

Hammerhead vs. Standard Car

Large hammerheads are about 13 to 20 feet in length compared to the average size of a car which is 15 to 16 feet long. They have different body structures, of course, but cars may be about the same size as some sharks.

Hammerhead vs. Great White Shark

Hammerheads can grow up to 20 feet long and great white sharks grow between 13 to 16 feet long. A great white might be a bit smaller than a great hammerhead, though there are times when a great white shark can grow larger than 20 feet!

Where Do Hammerhead Sharks Live?

Hammerhead sharks live throughout the world, preferring tropical and temperate waters. They inhabit both deep waters offshore and make their way close to shore, enjoying shallow waters. When migrating, they seek out cooler environments.

How Big Are Hammerheads When They Are Born?

Usually, hammerhead pups weigh only six ounces and are, on average, 2.1 feet long. They have lots of growing to do after birth and depending on the type of hammerhead, they may reach adulthood sooner than later. Great hammerheads, for example, reach maturity between five and nine years old. Other hammerheads may take longer, sometimes reaching maturity at age 10.

The Largest Hammerhead Shark Ever Recorded

The largest hammerhead shark is the great hammerhead and there have been some that span 20 feet. But there’s one that was caught in 2019 that measured 14 feet and seven inches long. More on that story here!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock.com