Corncrake Call MP3s
The Corncrake's distinctive rasping call, recorded for birders and field surveyors who need a reliable reference or lure for population monitoring.
Also known as
Recordings (3)
About this species
A secretive member of the rail family (Rallidae) measuring roughly 28 cm, the Corncrake (Crex crex) is unmistakable — buff and streaked, a slim skulker far more often heard than seen. It hides in tall hay meadows and rank grassland, only its call betraying its presence.
The male's monotonous, rasping 'crex-crex' rasps through summer nights like a comb drawn over teeth. It takes insects, worms and seeds gleaned from damp ground. It calls unseen from deep cover and slips away on foot rather than flying. Its skulking habits make it one of the most elusive birds of the European wetland.
Legal use
The Corncrake is not a game species anywhere in its range and is not legally hunted. Globally it is now classed as Least Concern by the IUCN thanks to large, stable populations across Russia and Kazakhstan, but it remains a species of serious conservation concern in Western Europe, where breeding numbers have collapsed due to intensive mowing practices — it is Red-listed in the UK and strictly protected under the EU Birds Directive (Annex I), the UK's Wildlife and Countryside Act (Schedule 1), and equivalent national laws across virtually its breeding and wintering range. This call is intended for birdwatching, field identification, and conservation survey work only — not for hunting. See our full country-by-country disclaimer for details.