Biology & ecology

Habitat
In France, the Corncrake occurs mainly in hay meadows within alluvial valleys. Pairs settle directly in such areas when they return from migration.
The habitat used by the species must satisfy certain criteria. Thus, clumps of tall vegetation (reeds, reed canary-grass, rumex, marshmallow, ...) alongside or in the fields provide refuge for the species when, for example, grass growth is slow in spring.
Flood plains are regularly occupied by Corncrakes. Although most of the time the (...)

The Corncrake leaves its breeding sites in August. Migration to North Africa is between September and October. Arrival at the wintering sites (mostly South of the Equator) is around November, in the rainy season.

The Corncrake only breeds in Eurasia. It is distributed from the Atlantic to the heart of Siberia, and from Scandinavia in the North to areas around the Black Sea in the South.
More than 90 % of the population nests in Asia (Russia, Georgia, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and China). Its distribution in Western Europe is much more fragmented, and limited in most cases to only a few well-preserved alluvial valleys.
Behaviour during the breeding season
In spring, the male tries (...)

The Corncrake (Crex crex) is a member of the Rallidae. This family, which occurs on all continents, contains 133 species. These are mainly aquatic and tend to nest in wetlands.