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THE HIGHEST NUMBER of corncrake territories (233) have been recorded in 25 years, according to new survey data from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
The survey has revealed the success of the Corncrake LIFE project, a five-year project funded through the EU LIFE Programme and led by the NPWS that has been working on a number of measures to prevent the decline of the corncrake.
The number of birds has risen by 35% in project areas since it began in 2021, while the number of corncrake territories has also risen by 45% since 2018.
The corncrake is a shy species with a distinctive call that was once widespread across the countryside. These days it is more common in parts of the north and west coasts of Ireland.
Corncrake numbers have declined significantly in Ireland and other European countries and the bird is listed on the Red List of Conservation Concern.
Increased population
The 2024 survey from the NPWS, however, shows an increase of the national corncrake population by 15 birds, up 7% on 2023 figures.
Furthermore, the numbers of corncrake territories recorded in the core breeding areas of Donegal, Mayo and Galway have increased by 45% on 2018 baseline figures.
Almost 1,500 hectares of land is now being managed by 250 farmers and landowners to conserve the corncrake.
Responding to the survey results, Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan said “these impressive results are a testament to the collaboration between farmers, landowners and the NPWS-led corncrake conservation projects”.
“As this project has shown, the NPWS is committed to working in partnership with landowners across our protected area network to deliver for both people and nature”, he continued, adding “the impact of this project is phenomenal and transformative for both local communities and the landscape”.
Corncrake conservation measures involve proactive planning with farmers in the breeding areas primarily on the north and west coast, as well as reactive measures where birds establish in new locations.
Ciaran Reaney, who co-ordinates the NPWS corncrake survey, praised the support of the farming community saying “there is still such a grá for the corncrake in Ireland that many farmers are willing to delay grass mowing in an attempt to save them and have them return”.
Still at risk
Despite the positive survey results, the corncrake is still vulnerable and at risk, and continued conservation efforts are necessary to increase corncrake numbers even further.
Dr John Carey, who manages the Corncrake LIFE project, said “while we have seen year-on-year improvements in the number of corncrake territories and the expansion of birds to areas where they have been absent for a generation, we need to be cautious in terms of our optimism”.
“Corncrakes are still very vulnerable, both to changes within our landscape but also to the dramatic shift we are seeing in our weather patterns. This summer was very tough on a lot of wildlife, with a notable drop in insect numbers which can have a devastating downstream effect on birds like corncrakes”, he continued, adding that the key to the continued success of the project is to keep the conservation efforts going.
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A shortage!?! Lettuce pray!
It’s ridiculous that Ireland can’t supply herself with salad and vegetables. The country has great land and weather for such produce. We should be easily self sufficient . We should be able to supply Europe too! The likes of Tesco Ireland should only sell home grown produce.
The weather is not right , 12 months of the year . We depend on Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere produce based on seasonality to supplement what we can produce.
@Niall O’Reilly:Try growing lettuce during wintertime in Ireland.
@Brian MacCarthaigh: No problem, its growing in the Botanical gardens in Dublin outside right now. Even easier in a tunnel.
@Colm Vambeck:- Correct. There are a lot of farmers in North County Dublin / Meath areas that grow lettuce through out the year. Then Keelings by the Airport have Gigantic greenhouses that grow peppers, lettuces, berries and all other types of veg you would think wouldn’t be plausible to grow in Ireland. They actually have an excellent Farm Shop at their entrance on the St. Margerets Road. (Finglas to Swords )
@The Viking:
Price……
There will always be a market for homegrown greenhouse vegetables and some people will pay a premium for them but the vast majority will buy the cheapest available.
Best of luck to the Keeling’s in their shop by the way.
Nonsense. We can grow everything in Ireland. You just need a greenhouse or a plastic tunnel. In Iceland they are self sufficient in tomatoes and cucumbers and my neighbor here in Brittany has 100 oranges on his orange tree in a climate often colder than Ireland!
Have you heard of a green house.?No problem at all under glass.
@Richard Paul: In a wee greenhouse (6 x 10) in the south of the country, we have all salad ingredients for our house all year around. We are still eating the spuds, carrots, parsnips and more from the wee veg plot. Hadn’t bought a spud in 5 years.
@ Paul Somers; Fair Play to you If it is practical for you to do that . But certain produce can not be grown in Ireland, in the quantities needed to satisfy the demand for them.
Sorry who buys more than one in one go?!
@Paul: People buying for a family.
@Paul:
Harvey the rabbit??
@Paul:
That new chain of shops, Chopped?
Be interesting to see what they substitute lettuce with now.
Restaurants, Pubs, Cafe’s
A number of local establishments purchase salad ingredients in Aldi / Lidi as the cost is sometimes below ‘Musgrave’s’ price point.
This is a great day for salad dodgers
Just have a bloody salad without lettuce. A salad with sausages and rashers and eggs and pudding. A salad with no salad.
Managed to buy some from a shady character on Moore street . Bit pricey though, €5 for a half dozen lettuce leaves and €7.50 for a reasonably sized courgette.
RIP to all the poor slippy slugs
lettuce spray…
So busy giving out to super valu the farmers forgot about the poor oll lettuce
I blame vegetarians for eating all our side salads for their main courses.
Went to Supervalue, Tesco’s and Aldi looking for courgettes. Lidl is the only place you can get them.
Swear to God, I was blaming bloody operation transformation !
Woa muah gawd, cannot cope, like whats a B.L.T. without the L. :(
And I’m a vegan so no B either. :((
Simply weather related.
Do we not grow it here?
Iceberg hopefully… its the marmite of lettii
@Hugh Gallagher: At least Jamie Oliver had the right idea with Iceburg lettuce…put them in a clay trap and blast them with No.7 shot. It’s a veg designed for supermarkets and catering due to lasting longer than most people who eat it.
Leaf it out will ye!
Ah..sure I can see it now “garda raid grow house..”(surely it’s herbal and illegal) ..garda looks sad and says “nah tis only lettuce..feck it”
Nothing of nutritional value in lettuce anyway
have your say