David Woodfall / Corncrake (Crex crex) walking at dawn on Machair, North Uist, Scotland, UK, June.

Guy Edwardes / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) standing on lily pads, Chobe River, Botswana.

Jabruson / African Crake (Crecopsis egregia) portrait in long grass ,Mboko savannah-forest mozaic, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo

Peter Cairns / 2020VISION / Corncrake (Crex crex) amongst grass, Balranald RSPB reserve, North Uist, Western Isles / Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, May

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling in grassland. Bieszczady, Carpathian Mountains, Poland.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hermansen / Corncrake (Crex crex) portrait, Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hermansen / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling, Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland, June 2009

Andy Sands / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling from rock, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.

Andrew Parkinson / Moorhen on nest with chicks {Gallinula chloropus} Derbyshire, UK

Dietmar Nill / Spotted crake {Porzana porzana} foraging, Germany.

David Perpinan / Little crake (Porzana parva) searching for food along river bank, Barcelona, Spain, March.

David Perpinan / Little crake (Porzana parva) searching for food along river bank, Barcelona, Spain, March.

David Perpinan / Little crake (Porzana parva) searching for food along river bank, Barcelona, Spain, March.

Bernard Castelein / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) walking across mud on riverbank. Allahein River, Gambia.

Barry Mansell / Sora rail (Porzana carolina) foraging at waters edge, North Florida, USA, October.

Barry Mansell / Sora rail (Porzana carolina) foraging at waters edge, North Florida, USA, October.

Nick Upton / Spotted crake (Porzana porzana) juvenile foraging among rushes in marshland, RSPB Greylake reserve, Somerset Levels, UK, October.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Baillon's crake (Porzana pusilla) feeding whilst standing on reed. Oman, March.

Ann & Steve Toon / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra), Zimanga game reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, May

Robin Chittenden / Little crake (Porzana parva) at water's edge, Cyprus, April

David Woodfall / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling at dawn on machair , North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, June.

David Woodfall / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling at dawn on machair , North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, June.

David Woodfall / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling at dawn on machair, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, June.

Staffan Widstrand / White-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) in Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Staffan Widstrand / White-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) bathing, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India

Kerstin Hinze / Corncrake (Crex crex) calling, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, June.

Ann & Steve Toon / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) immature, Zimanga private game reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, September

Laurie Campbell / Corncrake (Crex crex) hidden in meadow, Balranald RSPB Nature Reserve, North Uist, Scotland, June

Julian Hume / Illustration of extinct birds, Severn's crake (Porzana severnsi) fleeing from a Greater frigatebird (Fregata minor) into dune vegetation on Maui, Hawaii.

Julian Hume / Illustration of extinct Ziegler's crake (Porzana ziegleri) with downy young on Oahu, Hawaii.

Julian Hume / Illustration of extinct Ralph's crake (Porzana ralphorum) feeding alongside Lightfoot crabs (Grapsus tenuicrustatus) in a coastal forest. O'ahu, Hawaii.

Dave Bevan / Pair of Corncrakes (Crex crex) interacting, one pecking the other, Norfolk, England, UK. July.

David Tipling / Baillon's crake (Porzana pusilla) looking for food by people's feet, Sunderland, UK May 1989

David Tipling / Baillon's crake (Porzana pusilla) Sunderland, UK May 1989

Wim van den Heever / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) Zimanga Private Game Reserve, South Africa.

Dave Bevan / Corncrake (Crex crex) preening, Norfolk, England, UK, June.

Dave Bevan / Corncrake (Crex crex) preening, Norfolk, England, UK, May.

Bence Mate / Corncrake (Crex Crex) calling, with breath vapor in early morning, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary

Melvin Grey / Corncrake (Crex crex) adult male and female, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.

Melvin Grey / Corncrake (Crex crex) adult male and female, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK, May.

Melvin Grey / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostris) male, Bogoria, Kenya.

Bruno D'Amicis / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) Bahir Dar, Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia.

Neil Aldridge / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) foraging in shallows, Byamiti River, Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Neil Aldridge / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) foraging in shallows, Byamiti River, Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Neil Aldridge / Black crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) foraging in shallows, Byamiti River, Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Spotted crake (Porzana porzana) in shallow water, Oman, November

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Little crake (Porzana parva) at edge of reed bed, Oman, November.

Loic Poidevin / White-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) male, in water. Keoladeo National Park, India, April