It’s a chill wind for corncrakes as male numbers fall by a fifth

THE late, cold spring has cut the number of corncrakes – one of Scotland’s rarest birds – by nearly a fifth, in a reversal of last year’s increase.

Yesterday’s RSPB Scotland survey revealed the number of ‘calling males’ fell by 17 per cent, with only 1,069 counted compared to 1,289 in 2014 – the highest total in 45 years.

Corncrakes are elusive, pigeon-like birds that breed in isolated parts of the country over the spring and summer, before migrating to Africa in winter. They are mainly found on the islands and identified by their distinctive ‘crex-crex’ rasping call.

The Isle of Tiree was home to the most corncrakes, with 333 calling males counted in 2015, and the islands of Islay and Iona saw slight increases. However, nearly all the rest of Scotland recorded a drop in numbers.

Despite recent fluctuations, conservation efforts have seen the corncrake population recover dramatically since a low of around 400 calling males in the 1990s.

Paul Walton, of RSPB Scotland, said: ‘The corncrake has recovered well since the early 1990s, and that’s thanks to agricultural communities on the islands. But now that recovery has slowed and numbers are fluctuating, we think in response to cold spring weather. This species remains a huge conservation priority in Scotland.’