Wildlife

Wild Bird: Corncrake Recovery Scotland Ireland

The corncrake has declined catastrophically in the UK but recovery programmes in Scotland and Ireland using delayed mowing have produced measurable population increases.

Key Facts

UK corncrake calling males declined from thousands to fewer than 500 by the 1990s
Scotland (Hebrides and Orkney) and western Ireland are now the main UK breeding strongholds
Corncrakes nest and conceal themselves in tall vegetation - mowing destroys nests and kills chicks
Delayed mowing from the centre-outward allows chicks and adults to escape to field margins
Agri-environment payments in the UK and Ireland incentivise corncrake-friendly mowing

Welfare Considerations

Corncrake chicks killed by mowing experience acute welfare harm that is directly preventable through management changes. Population recovery from critically low levels requires both preventing mowing deaths and maintaining suitable tall vegetation habitat. The combination of incentive payments and farmer adoption of corncrake-friendly practice has produced measurable welfare and conservation benefit.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment schemes that pay for corncrake-friendly mowing in relevant areas
Submit corncrake calling records to RSPB or BTO surveys
Advocate for continued funding for corncrake recovery payments in Scotland and Ireland
Visit corncrake strongholds respectfully, avoiding disturbance of calling males
Learn about corncrake biology and the remarkable recovery achieved through habitat management