Page 156 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

RAILS, CRAKES,AND COOTS/CRANES AND BUSTARDS
Family Rallidae
RAILS, CRAKES, AND COOTS

ATHER SMALL, SLIM BIRDS, rails, crakes, and or sedges occasionally to give a brief glimpse.
Rcoots are narrow-bodied, allowing them to They are, however, skulking rather than shy and
slip through dense vegetation; however, their can sometimes be watched very closely.
deep bellies give a rounder appearance in a side The Corncrake lives in dry fields of hay and
view. Most live in wet places. Some are resident, clumps of irises or nettles,away from open water;
others long-distance migrants. it is hard to see but easy to hear its loud,repetitive
The Moorhen is common and familiar, and “song”. In most European countries it has
easy to see; the Coot is more gregarious and also declined severely
easy to watch in large numbers on almost any with modernization
freshwater pool. Others, however, such as the of farming techniques.
smaller crakes and the Water Rail, live in such
dense vegetation that they are difficult to see
at all, or come only to the edge of the reeds

FAMILY TIES
Moorhens rear several broods
and early young help
feed later ones. In
spring, however,
females fight RATCHET CALL
fiercely over males. The repeated “crek crek” of the
Corncrake is an evocative sound,
which is sadly declining.

Families Gruidae, Otididae

CRANES AND BUSTARDS

RANES ARE TALL, upstanding, long-striding use traditional wintering sites and intermediate
Cbirds, heron-like but with smaller bills and resting and feeding areas.
thicker necks that broaden into the shoulders. Bustards are threatened birds of dry, open
They have dramatic courtship displays, with landscapes.The Great Bustard is huge, the Little
elegant “dancing” and trumpeting calls.They Bustard pheasant-sized and quick, more
migrate to southern Europe and duck-like, in flight.They are unable
Africa each autumn, flying to survive in intensively farmed
majestically in long lines countryside and, already much
or V-shaped flocks, and reduced, face further declines.

MASSIVE MALES
Male Great Bustards are considerably bigger
than the females but still can be difficult to
locate in their remote habitats.

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