State bids to save corncrake’s future as the number of calling males falls to 140

The State’s bid to save the corncrake from national extinction suffered a further blow last year as the numbers of calling males fell to 140.

According to new figures, the number of corncrakes fell by 39% between 2014 and last year.

The 2017 census of the bird found that there were 140 calling males, a drop of 16.6% on the 168 calling males recorded here in 2016.