The Corn Crake, or Corncrake, is a type of rail that breeds across temperate Europe and Asia. They migrate to southern Africa for the winter.
Corn Crakes are highly secretive, and hard to see in both breeding territory and wintering grounds. They nest among tall vegetation and are most active early in the day and near dusk (crepuscular). On the wintering grounds, they are usually solitary.
While the species has a conservation status of Least Concern, populations across Europe have declined dramatically. In the UK in particular the species is of high concern; a reintroduction progam has been established in England and is celebrating the successful return of the Corncrake.
