The unique call of the corncrake

Modern farming has been blamed for the decline in corncrakes

People in Northamptonshire are being are being asked to keep their eyes and ears open for one of the UK's rarest birds.

Its call has been described as a credit card being scraped along a hair comb.

Corncrakes, who visit from Africa in early May and leave late in the summer, look like small moorhens and were common in the early 20th Century.

But they went into decline when there were changes to agricultural practices and intensification of farming.

Mechanised mowing allowed hay making to be completed much quicker but unfortunately meant that the corncrakes were unable to find nesting places to raise their young.

The birds are quite shy and hide in hay meadows or long grass where they raise their families and eat insects and seeds.

For a number of years the birds only migrated to the Hebridean Highlands on the west coast of Scotland.

But corncrakes were reintroduced to the RSPB's Nene Washes reserve, near Peterborough, from 2003 and it is hoped that the birds will spread through the county.

If you spot or hear one then you can call the RSPB on 01767 680551 or find out more on the RSPB website.