BirdWatch Ireland has set up a special hotline to help it track the arrival of Ireland's most endangered bird species, the corncrake.
Last year only 163 singing males were recorded in the remaining strongholds of the bird, the callow meadows along the river Shannon and in west Donegal and Mayo. BirdWatch believes that numbers could fall back even further this year.
BirdWatch Ireland has been running a special conservation programme to preserve the habitat of the birds in the Shannon meadows for a number of years supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Farmers there are paid a special premium for farming in a corncrake friendly way which sees them cutting their hay meadows late in the season to protect the young birds.
The corncrake comes to Ireland each spring from its wintering grounds in Mozambique and Tanzania, a trip of 6,000 miles.
BirdWatch Ireland has a team of key workers in the areas where the bird is expected to breed this summer and they will move to protect the birds where they are breeding.
The special number to call to report corncrakes is 057-915 1676. The organisation will also give advice to the public on where to go to hear the birds as well as information on grants for farmers or other landowners.
