Corncrake
Crex crex
Length 27-30cm

Has declined catastrophically in recent years and now confined to small numbers of birds in Western Isles of Scotland and Ireland. Summer visitor from May to September. Sandy brown plumage; in flight, shows chestnut on wings and dangling legs. Favours hay meadows which are undisturbed during nesting season; early rolling of grassland or cutting for silage largely responsible for species' decline. Presence usually indicated by male's crek-crek call uttered tirelessly throughout night. Bird itself rather shy and difficult to observe.