The European Plover, formerly utilized in fly tying, is now replaced by Lapwing feathers due to its rarity. Alternatively, the back feathers of a jay wing serve as good substitutes for Landrail in dressings.
The corn crake, also known as corncrake or landrail (Crex crex), is a medium-sized rail bird found in Europe and Asia, migrating to Africa for winter. It has buff- or grey-streaked brownish-black upperparts, chestnut markings on the wings, and blue-grey underparts with rust-colored and white bars on the flanks and undertail. The male’s loud krek krek call gives the bird its scientific name. Breeding in grasslands, particularly hayfields, the corn crake faces decline due to modern farming practices destroying nests. Despite this, it’s classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List, with notable populations in Russia and Kazakhstan.
In terms of appearance, the adult male is 27–30 cm long, with brown-black upperparts streaked with buff or grey, distinctive chestnut wing coverts, and blue-grey face, neck, and breast. Females have warmer-toned upperparts, and juveniles have a yellow tone to their upperparts. The corn crake is sympatric with the African crake during winter but can be distinguished by its larger size and different plumage patterns.
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