Corn Crake

Crex crex (Linnaeus, 1758)

Corn Crake, Crex crex, is a rail of the Palearctic, breeding from Europe to central Siberia and north-west China, and spending the non-breeding season in southern Africa. It is a grassland bird, especially associated with hayfields, and also uses similar cover away from the breeding grounds. Its nest is made from grass leaves in a ground hollow, and the species is known for a loud krek krek call. The male’s call gives rise to the scientific name. It has no subspecies.

Order

Gruiformes

Family

Rallidae — Rails, Crakes & Coots

Breeding range

Palearctic: Europe to c Siberia and nw China

Nonbreeding range

s AF