CONTINUING DECLINE OF CORNCRAKE IS "INCREDIBLY WORRYING" SAYS RSPB SCOTLAND

                                                       

Corncrake - alarm over population dip

 IT has been another disappointing year for one of Scotland’s rarest breeding birds - the corncrake.

According to the RSPB, numbers have fallen for the third consecutive year.  

Over the past summer, only 866 calling males were recorded in Scotland.

This is a drop of 17 per cent from 2016, and down 33 per cent from the 2014 high of 1,289 males. 

There were glimmers of positive results seen in some areas, such as Barra and Vatersay, with a 47 per cent increase from last year but these were outweighed by losses elsewhere.

Benbecula’s population was down 64 per cent, and Durness saw a 53 per cent drop.

The overall sharp decline has prompted concern from RSPB Scotland that the long-term survival of these birds as a breeding species here is now under increased threat. 

Numbers haven’t been this low since 2003 when only 836 males were recorded.

The RSPB is calling for renewed action to ensure that Scottish Government, and the conservation community do all they can to work with landowners and crofters to protect the species. 

Corncrakes are shy land-dwelling relatives of coots and moorhens. Every year these small chestnut-coloured birds migrate from their wintering grounds in Africa to breed in a few isolated pockets in Scotland, mostly on islands and the North West coast on crofts or farmland.

Once widespread across the UK they suffered from a reduction in both range and population in the 19^th and 20^th century, becoming confined to these Scottish areas by the early 1990s. 

At that time, faced with the prospect of corncrakes disappearing from Scotland altogether within 20 years, agri-environment schemes were introduced to turn their fortunes around.

These schemes lead to an increase in numbers to 2014’s high point.

While there may be several reasons behind the recent declines, including problems related to their wintering grounds or during migration, there is concern that recent changes to these schemes could be contributing to the declines. 

The gap between the old Scottish Rural Development Programme Rural Priorities Scheme (SRDPRP) ending and new Agri-environment Climate Scheme (AECS) starting has seen fewer areas being managed to benefit corncrakes. 

The uptake in AECS so far is considerably lower than in SRDPRP, though there is a chance this may improve in later years of the scheme.  

In addition, payment rates provided by government to delay mowing are now lower, which may reduce the incentive to mow later in the year and could lead to fewer corncrake chicks surviving. 

As corncrakes are naturally short-lived it’s crucial that large numbers of chicks are successfully reared each year.

Paul Walton, Head of Habitats and Species at RSPB Scotland, said this week: “The crex crex call of the corncrake in unmistakeable but in recent years has become something even fewer of us are likely to hear.

“In just three years Scotland has lost a third of its calling male population. This  is incredibly worrying.

“The gains made for this rare species now face being unravelled and lost, and their future is once again looking increasingly uncertain in Scotland unless action is taken.”

RSPB Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to work with them to ensure the long term survival of breeding corncrakes here. 

It says that the upcoming application window for AECS in 2018 needs to be vigorously promoted with application support provided to encourage as much uptake as possible in these areas. 

Additionally, robust advice needs to be provided to all land managers on supporting threatened species and the wider environment.

Paul continued: “While we are extremely concerned that these recent declines will turn into long-term trends if no action is taken there is still time to prevent this from happening. 

“There is a great opportunity here for the Scottish Government to take decisive positive action and work with conservation organisations in designing a future scheme, not only to help corncrakes, but also to support crofters and farmers deliver as many benefits as possible for our country’s incredible wildlife.”

Photo credit:  Rachel Davies/ Flickr via Wikimedia Commons