Corncrake

Crex crex (Linnaeus, 1758)

		male female
2017-07-01 Tomsk region. Bakcharsky district 2015-07-07 near Zudilovo, Altai state	© Mishail Belousow © Aleksandr Skachko

Distribution

In Siberia, from steppes to southern margins of norhtewn taiga, including mountain areas. North from Baikal, the range goes east to southwestern Yakutia, but in the Baikal area it does not nest east from Lake Baikal. Most common in forest-steppe and in the south of forest zone.

Biology

Common, in places rare breeding migrant. Inhabits the high-grass meadows especially with bush thickets, both on plains and in mountains to 1500-1600 m on Altai, and rare on lucerne and cereal fields. Arrives in May or in early June. Breeds by separate pairs quite far one of other. Nest is located on the ground among the grass or low shrubs, in the shallow hole lined with dry grass stems. Clutches of 6-12, usually 9-10 eggs is laid in end May – early June, chicks hatch in July and begin the self-supporting life very early, probably in age of one-two weeks old. The males’ nuptial calls were heard until the mid-July, suggesting a double breeding. The moulting of adult birds is very intensive; all flight feathers lost in one time therefore birds can't fly some time. Autumn migration begins from the mid-August, in mountains Corncrakes disappear until the mid-September.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Сибири". Москва-Екатеринбург, Изд-во "Кабинетный ученый", 2014.