Fifty years ago, the rasping call of the Corncrake was an ever-present part of rural summer nights throughout much of Donegal and the rest of Ireland.
The iconic corncrake
However, the population has dramatically declined since the 1960’s, and today these birds only remain in isolated coastal pockets and islands of Donegal, Connemara and West Mayo.
Corncrakes over-winter in Africa and come back to breed in Donegal from early May onwards. Once the males arrive and select a suitable patch of habitat, they start to call in order to attract females. Once he has mated, he will move on to another site and attract another mate.
Females remain in proximity to the mating site, and build a nest in vegetation tall enough to provide cover. They lay 8-12 eggs, and about two weeks after the first brood has hatched they mate again. Hatching typically peaks first in early June, then in late July. Chicks don’t learn to fly until they are five weeks old, and as a result females and their young can be present in meadows from early May until late August.
Corncrakes have always had a close relationship with humans and, throughout much of its world range, the Corncrake breeds predominantly in habitats created and managed by farmers.
A number of factors have led to the decline in the Corncrake population. The most significant has been a change in farming practices. Harvesting silage rather than hay means that mowing takes place when young flightless chicks are still present in the fields.
Mowing has also become faster and is carried out from the outer edge towards the centre of the field, which creates an island of grass ever-decreasing in size as mowing progresses. This very often proves fatal to female corncrakes and their chicks, who need unbroken tall grass cover to run to safety. Predation by mink, foxes, feral cats and crows is another significant cause of mortality.
Ireland and the rest of Western Europe’s breeding corncrake population overwinters in Sub-Saharan Africa, where no significant kills by trappers and hunters have been reported. A large Eastern European and Russian corncrake population overwinters in Northern Africa, where thousands of birds, representing a small fraction of the population, are killed every year. No significant threats to corncrakes have been found in wintering grounds.
As a response to declining corncrake numbers, the Corncrake Conservation Project was created over twenty years ago. It is now run by the National Parks and Wildlife Services, and the project staff carries out an annual breeding census. This involves locating calling male corncrakes as they arrive and seeking landowner collaboration to protect them in their chosen breeding habitat. Landowners are offered a range of agri-environmental schemes including the Corncrake Grant Scheme which offers compensation for mowing meadows late and in a slow controlled manner, encouraging the survival of corncrake chicks,
In Donegal, numbers have fluctuated over the years, yet remained relatively stable. Last year was the first year which saw a marked increase in corncrake numbers. Nationwide, a 44% increase was observed relative to 2012, with 189 breeding pairs recorded, 128 of which were in Donegal. These are the highest numbers recorded since the project began.
However, numbers continue to decrease on the mainland, with offshore islands providing increasingly important habitat for the species. More than likely, this is due to low-intensity farming and fewer predators in insular locations.
So what can we do to ensure the continuing survival of the corncrake in Ireland?
Farmers have helped. Over the years, farmers throughout Donegal have collaborated with fieldworkers to ensure the corncrakes survival on their land. By delaying mowing as well as by mowing in a corncrake friendly manner, from the centre of the field outwards, they have helped to increase the rate of chick survival, as well as provide adequate cover for nesting females throughout the entirety of their breeding cycle. It is important to note that in most cases, protective measures are only carried out with the landowners consent, and in exchange for compensation.
Pet owners can also help. Cats and dogs are a confirmed threat to corncrakes. Putting a bell on your cat’s collar will help prevent it from catching wild birds by providing an audible warning of your cat’s approach. Neutering is also encouraged; this has been suggested to reduce the urge to hunt in cats, as well as reducing the number of feral cats.
Dogs should never be allowed to wander freely. As well as posing a threat to corncrakes and other ground nesting birds, wandering dogs are a risk to livestock. Even if they do not attack them, they can cause serious stress, especially to sheep at around lambing time.
You can help. On the mainland, corncrakes breed along Donegal’s coastline from Malin Head to Killibegs, and sometimes may only call for a few days before mating. Once mating occurs, it is near impossible to locate nesting females and their chicks, as they do not call. In these circumstances it is difficult to record all calling birds without the public’s help. If you hear a corncrake calling, please contact the fieldworker for Donegal; Marie Duffy – 087 6563 527.
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