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| Description of the Corncrake |
| English name: | corncrake |
| scientific name: | Crex crex (Linné 1758) |
| order: | Gruiformes - rails and cranes |
| family | Rallidae - rails |
| distribution: | W-Europe to NW Lake Baikal |
| migration: | long distance migrant, wintering in tropical and south east Africa |
| departure from
breeding sites: |
from August |
| arrival in Europe: | middle of April, May |
| habitat: | open areas, extensively used meadows |
| food: | insects and other invertebrates, also vegetable food and seeds |
| reproduction: | maturity in the first spring after hatching |
| laying commences: | middle of May until end of July, 7-12 (14) eggs |
| duration of
breeding: |
16-19 days |
| 2 broods per season, juveniles. fledge with 34-38 days |
| Calls of the corncrake |
| Wav-File | mp3-Filei | ||
| characteristic rasping call of the corncrake male, mainly during night, but also during day. Call is very loud and can be heard from a long distance |  388
kB |
62
kB |
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Call of a male corncrake; sign of excitement, which indicates that a female corncrake is present or even that both are a couple. |
153
kB |
||
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Excited male. Call can be heard when (1) the male is mated with
a female or |
136 kB |
|
| Call of a female, similar to call of a male (but given only on very rare occasions) | 43
kB |
14
kB |
|
| Female attracting juveniles (about 10 days old) | 101
kB |
33
kB |
|
| warning call of a female with chicks | 100
kB |
32
kB |
|
| calls of newly hatched chicks | 109
kB |
35
kB |
|
| contact call of 10 day old chicks | 74
kB |
24
kB |
|
| mp3-player: look at www.layer3.org |
| Most recordings have been done in the aviary of Dieter Wend (Mörtitz). Further literature: SCHÄFFER, N.; SALZER, U. & WEND, D. (1997): Das Lautrepertoire des Wachtelkönigs Crex crex. - Vogelwelt 118: 147-156 |
| Webmaster | © BirdLife International Corncrake Conservation Team | 
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