corncrake

bird

Also known as: Crex crex, land rail

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

The corncrake, also known as the land rail, is a bird belonging to the Rallidae family, which includes rails. This species is native to Europe and Asia and migrates to Africa for the winter. It is a brown bird, slightly larger than other crake species, with a stout bill and reddish wings visible in flight. The corncrake is known for its distinctive rasping call, often described as similar to a heavy comb being drawn over wood. These birds typically frequent grain fields.123

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crake
The corncrake, or land rail (Crex crex), of Europe and Asia, migrating south to Africa, is a slightly larger brown bird with a rather stout bill and wings showing reddish in flight. Africa’s black crake (Limnocorax flavirostra) is a 20-centimetre- (8-inch-) long form, black with a green bill…
Read More
The corncrake, or land rail (Crex crex), of Europe and Asia, migrating south to Africa, is a slightly larger brown bird with a rather stout bill and wings showing reddish in flight. Africa’s black crake (Limnocorax flavirostra) is a 20-centimetre- (8-inch-) long form, black with a green bill…
Read More