adult

adult flying European distribution

Identification

The distinctive call of the Corncrake is usually the only contact you will have with this elusive and declining species. If you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse it will probably be of a bird flying weakly away, with its rufous wings standing out and with its legs dangling behind it. Birds seen on the ground are quite distinctive, particularly the yellow bill and legs, grey facial stripes, dark back and rufous wings. They could almost be a cross between a Partridge and a Water Rail.

Habitat

Breeds in hay meadows, nettle-patches and damp pasture.

Migration

The majority of birds winter in Ethiopian Africa, though the exact winter range is not known. They return to their breeding range in April-May and depart in August-September.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Corncrake is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Barnes WWT, London 30/08/2010	Barnes WWT, London 30/08/2010	Iona, Argyll 16/06/2010	Iona, Argyll 16/06/2010	Iona, Argyll 27/05/2010
Balranald RSPB, Outer Hebrides 31/05/2010	Balranald RSPB, Outer Hebrides 31/05/2010	Iona, Argyll 27/05/2010	undisc. site, Outer Hebrides 29/05/2010	undisc. site, Outer Hebrides 29/05/2010

 View all pictures of Corncrake

Bird News Extra subscribers can view a list of top sites for this species. To check prices, find out more, or to subscribe, click here.

Corncrake breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

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	RSPB: 'Hotline' for rare bird survey	Monday 11th May 2009
	National survey of Corncrakes to take place across the UK.   read on
	RSPB: Crex appear in fragile Corncrake recovery	Tuesday 16th December 2008
	Importance of financial help for farmers to save rare bird highlighted.   read on
	RSPB: Back from the Brink. No 6: Corncrake	Thursday 23rd February 2006
	The sixth of our articles based on a RSPB booklet charting the recovery of some of the UK's rarest breeding birds. Here we look at the secretive Corncrake.   read on
	RSPB: Full Corncrake Survey of the UK in 2003	Tuesday 20th May 2003
	Can you help in the national Corncrake survey this year?   read on

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