A great deal to shout about

Graham Holliday explains where you can hear and perhaps see – the shy and elusive corncrake

The corncrake is one of Britain's most vocal, yet most elusive birds. Its repetitive, rasping calls were once heard all over the Scottish countryside, but changes in farming methods and the destruction of much needed cover means the din of calling male corncrakes has become a rare event in the countryside.

However, the situation is starting to look up for this dry-land dwelling relative of the moorhen. 2004 was a record year for corncrakes in the United Kingdom. More than 800 calling males were heard, an increase of 140 from 2002 and the highest number since surveys began in 1977.

In Scotland, the Isle of Tiree is home to the UK's largest single population of corncrakes. RSPB warden John Bowler, who has lived and worked on Tiree for three years, recorded 262 calling males in 2004.

“Tiree has always been good for corncrakes. The rocks, irises and reeds provide cover even when agriculture is more intensive,” he says.

Crofters on the island, and elsewhere in Scotland, are encouraged to join the Scottish Crofting Foundation sponsored ‘Corncrake Initiative'. Participation in the scheme means crofters have to cut their crop later than usual and in a ‘corncrake-friendly' manner – from the inside out – which reduces the risk of trapping and harming young during harvest time.

This allows the birds to continue brooding their young for much longer.

The crofter's silage suffers from this late cutting, but they are compensated for this with payments from the scheme.

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• By : Graham Holiday
• In : Wildlife
• Issue : 17
• Page : 22
• Words : 786