What is a Corncrake?

The corncrake is a brown streaked bird with bright chestnut wings which show up in flight. Males and females look very similar. Corncrakes are about the same size as moor hens. They have a short deep bill and strong legs and feet, ideal for thrusting through the tall grass and rough vegetation where they spend most
of their time. In fact corncrakes are very reluctant to emerge from tall vegetation – probably because they are vulnerable to predators if they do. For this reason, corncrakes are more often heard than seen. It is usually only the male who sings with a distinctive rasping ‘crek crek’ call. Unmusical as this may sound to the human ear, it is used to attract females. In flight, corncrakes trail their legs, stay close to the ground and usually dive into the cover of tall vegetation as soon as possible. This has led people to assume that they are poor fliers but in fact they undertake some of the longest migrations known amongst birds. Corncrakes eat a range of small animals pecked from plants or the surface of the ground: mostly earthworms, beetles, slugs and snails.

The corncrake is a summer visitor; it visits Ireland and Scotland between April and September, and migrates to spend the winter in central and southern Africa.