Birds and wildlife

Corncrake

Crex crexGroup: Rails, crakes and cootsUK Conservation status:Red

How to identify

Corncrakes are related to waterbirds Moorhens, Coots and Water Rails but, unlike their family members, they live on dry land. Corncrakes are surprisingly small – only a little bigger than a Blackbird. This Schedule 1 species is very secretive, spending most of its time hidden in tall grass or reedbeds, you'll probably hear its rasping call before you see it.

Call

Corncrake

Mathias Ritschard / xeno-canto

A Corncrake pokes its head out from its home in the nettles.
A Corncrake in its home amongst the nettles
Corncrake Calling

Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Corncrake Calling is a four-year project to save these small brown secretive birds in Scotland. If you’ve seen or heard a corncrake, report it here and upload your photo or audio recording.

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Where best to see them

Key facts