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Corncrake Crex crex [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Gruiformes
Family:
Rallidae
BTO Codes:
CE , CORNC
EURING No:
4210
Number in Britain:
1100 males (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
RED
European:
1 Global Conservation Concern; Depleted
Global:
Near Threatened
( Details )
View video clips from
IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
28 cm
Wingspan:
50 cm
Weight:
M: 170 g F: 140 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: krex =a long-legged bird mentioned by Herodotus, Aristotle and other
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Europe, n&c Asia, WINTERS: s Europe to s Africa
Habitat:
Grassland, riparian thickets
Diet:
Mostly small inverebrates, also some seeds, from ground or off plants
TitBit:
This brown, chicken-sized bird, prefers to run when threatened with danger - so it is best to harvest hay fields (where it nests) from the inside out, giving it somewhere to escape to
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
Atlas Maps
(Help with the New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
1067 males
in 2004
 
First Record:
11th Century
[Fossil evidence from
early Holocene, up to 10,000 yr ago]
Latest Survey:
O'Brien, M. et al. (2006) Bird Study 53:213-224
UK Biodiversity Action Plan
(Lead Partner: RSPB)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
300 to 500 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
European Species Action Plan
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Survey Results:
BirdTrack
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
37 x 26 mm
Egg Weight:
13.2 g (of which 7 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
0
Clutch Size:
8 - 12 eggs
9.70 ± . (6 - 14) N = .
Incubation:
16 - 19 days
18.60 ± . (. - .) N = .
by the:
Female
Fledging:
34 - 38 days
11.60 ± . (. - .) N = .
as:
Precocial, downy
Source:
Schaffer, N. & Koffibjerg, K. (2004) BWP Update 6:55-76
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1/2
Number Ringed:
87
Adult Survival:
0.279
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
Typical Lifespan:
No data
Maximum Recorded Age:
1yr11m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
D or Eo*
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Other Names
Corn Crake
Gaelic:
Traon
Welsh:
Rhegen yr Yd
Danish:
Engsnarre
Dutch:
Kwartelkoning
Finnish:
Ruisrääkkä
French:
Râle des genêts
German:
Wachtelkönig
Hungarian:
Haris
Icelandic:
Engirella
Irish:
Traonach
Italian:
Re di quaglie
Norwegian:
Åkerrikse
Polish:
Derkacz zwyczajny
Portuguese:
Codornizão
Spanish:
Guión
Swedish:
Kornknarr
Local Names: Hay Crake, Land Rail
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Green, R. 1999 Corncrakes : naturally Scottish SNH - Scottish Natural Heritage, Battleby
[598.554 GRE]
Taylor, B. & van Perlo, B. 1998 Rails Pica Press, Sussex
[598.554 TAY]
See Also:
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus
BirdFacts home | BTO Home Email: birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
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