Further increase this year to 21 singing males. Wild breeding was proven when a team led by the RSPBs Rhys Green caught 4 juvenile corncrakes in August, 2 of which were only 19 days old. A female was also controlled that was amazingly the oldest known wild corncrake on the planet at 4 years. She was released as a chick on the Nene in summer of 2006 and along with two 3year old males in 2010 demonstrates that the genes of our founder population are very good.
Less juveniles were released this year so we are banking on good productivity in the wild to maintain the year on year increases.