crake

Corncrake
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Rallidae
Genus:	Crex
Species:	C. crex
Binomial name
Crex crex Linnaeus, 1758
Yellow = Breeding range Blue = Wintering range

The Corn Crake (Crex crex), or landrail is a small bird in the family Rallidae.

Its breeding habitat is not marshes as with most crakes, but, as the name implies, meadows and arable farmland. It breeds across Europe and western Asia, migrating to Africa in winter. It is in steep decline across most of its range because modern farming practices mean that nests and birds are destroyed by mowing or harvesting before breeding is finished. The best place to look for or listen for them in the UK is in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In Ireland, the best place to hear the birds is the island of Inishbofin, Galway, off the coast of County Galway. In 2008 a decline of about 8% in the number of "calling males" was noticed.^[2]

Description

The adult Corn Crake is 22–25 cm (8.6–9.8 in) long with a wingspan of between 46–53 cm (19–21 in). It weighs between 125–210 g (4.5–7.5 ounces).^[3][4]

It has mainly brown, heavily spotted upper parts, a blue-grey head and neck, and reddish streaked flanks. It has a short bill and shows chestnut wings and long dangling legs in flight.

The sexes are similar, but in the immature bird the blue-grey is replaced by buff. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails.

Behaviour

	Corn Crake Several Corn Crakes singing.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The Corn Crake is very secretive in the breeding season, and heard far more often than it is seen. It is hard to flush, walking away through the vegetation. The song, mainly heard at night and very early morning, is a repetitive, far-carrying crex crex, like two notched sticks being rubbed together. This bird feeds mainly on insects, as well as seeds, shoots and frogs.

Etymology

Two adults with a chick^[5]

The species' name used commonly to be spelled as a single word, 'Corncrake', but the official^{[citation needed]} English name is Corn Crake, and the trend now is to follow this. Other Scottish names for the bird include Corncraik, Corn Scrack (in Aberdeenshire), Daker, King of the Quail (from observations of individuals often taking off, and flying with flocks of quail), Land Rail, Quailzie, and Weet-my-fit. Originally called a "Corne Crake" in Scotland, Thomas Bewick introduced this name in his book, "A History of British Birds" (Newcastle upon Tyne, 1797). Most of these names derive from both its habitat and its odd call. The name 'Daker' has been derived from the Old Norse "Ager-hoene", meaning "Cock of the field". Scottish Gaelic names include Garra-gart (perhaps from the Gaelic word "garrag", meaning "to yell"), and Racan-arbhai. The most common name in Gaelic is Traona.^[6]

Popular culture

• The Pogues song "Lullaby of London" mentions "...though there is no lonesome corncrake's cry..."
• The Decemberists mention the corn crake in two of their songs, "The Bachelor and the Bride" and "The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)".

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Crex crex

References

External links

• Corn Crake videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
• ARKive still images. Videos.
• Flicker Field Guide Birds of the World Photographs
• [1] Action plan to saveguard Corncrake in France.