Payments worth €400,000 have been made to farmers and landowners involved in the Corncrake LIFE project in 2024.The pilot agri-environmental scheme has 125 participants and last year they managed almost 1,000ha of lands for corncrakes, a bird on the red list of conservation concern in Ireland.
Payments worth €400,000 have been made to farmers and landowners involved in the Corncrake LIFE project in 2024.
The pilot agri-environmental scheme has 125 participants and last year they managed almost 1,000ha of lands for corncrakes, a bird on the red list of conservation concern in Ireland.
Bird numbers have increased by 35% since the project started and 2024 recorded the highest number of calling males in 25 years with 233 confirmed.
Corncrake LIFE project manager John Carey hopes that 2025 will see that number stabilise or hopefully increase again.
“One of the other major successes of the project has been its community engagement and ability to work with farmers,” he said.
“Looking back over the past four years it’s safe to say that Corncrake LIFE has done the business for the birds and the farmers,” he said.
Corncrakes are birds of low-intensity grasslands so many farmers have opted to reduce stocking density and levels of grass production while also allowing predator control to occur on their lands.
The main actions that farmers have undertaken are creating early cover habitat by planting native vegetation; delaying the mowing and grazing of grass until at least August; and mowing fields from the centre out to give the corncrake a chance to escape.
Farmers have also helped to develop actions and trial crops, multi-species swards and innovations, like the corncrake flushing bar, when mowing meadows.
“Payments are fair and equitable and many farmers feel that they are able to maintain their income strategy while reducing intensity but crucially they are still farming; which is key to maintain the necessary balance for these birds,” Carey said.
Results-based approach is equitable “There is always some trepidation about a new programme and what it means for people but once the news spread that Corncrake LIFE was very adaptable and flexible we had no problem finding participants.
Farmers feel the result-based approach is fair as it is transparent what they are being paid to produce in terms of habitat.”
Corncrake-friendly mowing. Cutting the fields from the centre of the field towards the edges by leaving an uncut strip at least two metres wide around the field edges to provide an escape route for birds. \ Michael Mc Laughlin
There is a commitment from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to ensure the project will continue and be mainstreamed into NPWS operations.
Corncrakes will return to Ireland this month and are most likely to be encountered in the west of Ireland in Donegal, Mayo and Galway. Corncrake LIFE is urging people to report any sightings of the bird on its website.
“The birds are almost never seen so if you think you’ve seen one it’s very unlikely,” added Carey.
“Rather listen out for the distinctive ‘crex crex’ call of the male bird when he starts calling near sunset and well into the night. There is simply no sound like it.
“If you hear one then we will work with you to ensure that your farming is not hindered and we can all work together to try and give the birds a chance.”
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