Common name: Corncrake
Scientific name: Crex crex
Family: Rallidae

Size:
Body length: 27–30 cm
Wingspan: 42–53 cm
Weight: 130–210 g

Identification:
A secretive, medium-sized rail with warm brown upperparts marked by dark streaks. The face and breast are grey, contrasting with chestnut-and-white barred flanks. It has a short bill, rounded wings, and relatively long legs. Usually remains hidden, but when seen, it appears compact and ground-dwelling.

Habitat:
Tall grasslands, hay meadows, agricultural fields, and dense herbaceous vegetation. Prefers undisturbed areas with thick ground cover.

Status in the UAE:
Rare passage migrant. Occasionally recorded during migration, usually in suitable grassy or vegetated habitats.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on insects, worms, and other small invertebrates found within dense vegetation.

Behavior:
Extremely secretive and rarely seen. More often detected by its distinctive rasping call, especially during breeding season. Prefers to walk or run through vegetation rather than fly, flushing only when disturbed. Migratory species traveling long distances between Europe and Africa.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List), but declining in parts of its range