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Crake expectations
BBC Countryfile Magazine|May 2023
How could a farmland bird with an extraordinary call, which was once as familiar as the blackbird, have been driven from all but the outer fringes of the British Isles? James Fair investigates the case of the vanishing corncrake
- James Fair
Crake expectations

CORNCRAKE 

FACT FILE

DIET

A wide range of invertebrates, including many different types of insects, spiders, slugs and worms.

BREEDING SEASON

They arrive back in Britain in mid-April, producing their first brood of chicks by late May to mid-June. Females will then have a second brood, and even – if time allows – a third.

EGGS

Females typically lay between six and 10 eggs.

FLEDGING

 Incubation takes up to 19 days. Chicks are looked after for 14 days after hatching and fully fledge after 34–38 days.

LIFESPAN

They are short-lived birds – most will only make it back to Britain for one breeding season. Some calling males have been recorded for three years.

If you were asked to compile a list of birds celebrated in British culture, what would you say? Nightingale, skylark and robin perhaps? Owl or swan, possibly? My guess is that you wouldn't think of the corncrake, but it's there, like an occasional faint streak in a stick of rock.

Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av BBC Countryfile Magazine.

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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av BBC Countryfile Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

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