Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan, has today (Friday, September 12), welcomed new data that shows efforts to increase corncrake populations in the west and north of Ireland are having a significant impact.

A 2025 survey from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) shows an increase in the national corncrake population by 48 birds, a 20% increase on 2024 figures. 

According to the NPWS, the number of corncrake territories recorded in the core breeding areas of counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway have increased by 70% on 2018 baseline figures. 

Almost 1,500ha of land is now being managed by 250 farmers and landowners to conserve the corncrake.

Responding to the survey findings, Minister O’Sullivan said: “The corncrake or An Traonach as Gaeilge, is an iconic bird species with deep-rooted links to our rural areas and farming communities.

"The Corncrake LIFE project is an incredible success story and an example of what can be achieved in the space of farmland nature conservation.

“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.”

The corncrake is red-listed as a species of conservation concern in Ireland, having significantly decreased in both numbers and range here and in other European countries.

Since 2021, the Corncrake/Traonach LIFE Project - funded through the EU and led by the NPWS - is working on a number of measures to prevent the decline of the corncrake.

According to the NPWS, corncrake conservation measures involve proactive planning with farmers in the breeding areas, which are primarily on the north and west coast, as well as reactive measures where birds establish in new locations.

Data from the project shows a number of measures that are proving effective in improving the bird’s habitat.

For example, creating large patches of nettles or crops for corncrakes to hide in and delaying grass mowing into mid-August enable the birds to raise broods of chicks in safety. 

Studies show that mowing fields from the ‘centre-out’ rather than from the ‘outside-in’ can reduce chick mortality by up to 60%.

The NPWS also highlighted that agricultural contractors are key to conservation efforts, as they have the skills and knowledge to ensure that the birds are not harmed during harvesting time.

The development of ‘flushing bars’ attached to mowers to scare birds out of the way is seen as an innovative development in this regard. 

Targeted grants and schemes can also act as incentives for the farming community to protect the birds and give them a chance to raise their young.

New developments include a ‘corncrake habitat scorecard’ and landscape actions to inform the ACRES Cooperation project - a results-based scheme for farmers operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).

Ciaran Reaney, who co-ordinates the NPWS Corncrake survey, said: “The impressive increase of bird number this year has been mirrored across much of Europe, but the 20% increase in Ireland is still very remarkable.

Reaney noted that outside of the core area of counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway, "we also had confirmed birds in Co. Kerry, Co. Cork, and Co. Waterford. 

He said: "So many people were excited to hear birds where they had not been heard in decades.

"Farmers and local landowners were really keen to work with us to give the birds a chance to breed, which always indicates how much people will work to help nature when given some support and guidance.

"We had chicks that hatched as late as early August, which shows how crucial the delayed mowing is for saving the species."