Corncrake Hay Meadow Conservation

The corncrake is a secretive migratory bird whose UK population has declined dramatically due to changes in hay meadow management, requiring targeted agricultural partnerships for recovery.

Key Facts

Corncrakes breed in hay meadows, tall grasslands, and wetland edges across the UK and Ireland
The UK breeding population declined from hundreds of thousands in the 19th century to hundreds today
Males produce a loud rasping call heard at dusk but birds are rarely seen due to dense cover preference
Early mechanised mowing kills chicks that cannot escape fast enough to avoid blades
Ireland's Shannon Callows and Scottish crofting areas now hold most UK breeding corncrakes
RSPB corncrake schemes pay farmers to delay mowing and use wildlife-friendly techniques

Welfare Considerations

Corncrake chicks are highly vulnerable during mowing operations, facing acute risk of injury or death from machinery. Even where chicks escape, nest destruction and habitat loss cause stress and breeding failure that compound welfare and population impacts. Adults experience chronic stress from repeated disturbance in landscapes where cover is fragmented. Welfare and conservation interests align closely: delayed mowing, corncrake-friendly mowing patterns working from the centre outward, and maintaining tall vegetation refuges all reduce direct mortality and disturbance stress.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB corncrake recovery projects in Scotland and Ireland through donation
If you farm hay meadows in corncrake areas, engage with agri-environment mowing delay schemes
Listen for the distinctive crex-crex call in suitable habitats and report sightings to bird recording groups
Advocate for agri-environment payments that reward late mowing and wildlife-friendly techniques
Choose food products from farms participating in nature-friendly farming schemes