 The corn crake , corncrake or landrail ( Crex crex ) is a bird in the rail family . It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as western China , and migrates to Africa for the northern hemisphere 's winter . It is a medium @-@ sized crake with buff- or grey @-@ streaked brownish @-@ black upperparts , chestnut markings on the wings , and blue @-@ grey underparts with rust @-@ coloured and white bars on the flanks and undertail . The strong bill is flesh @-@ toned , the iris is pale brown , and the legs and feet are pale grey . Juveniles are similar in plumage to adults , and downy chicks are black , as with all rails . There are no subspecies , although individuals from the east of the breeding range tend to be slightly paler than their western counterparts . The male 's call is a loud krek krek , from which the scientific name is derived . The corn crake is larger than its closest relative , the African crake , which shares its wintering range ; that species is also darker @-@ plumaged , and has a plainer face . 
 The corn crake , corncrake or landrail ( Crex crex ) <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>a bird in the rail family . It <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>breeds</mark></a> in Europe and Asia as far east as western China , and <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>migrates</mark></a> to Africa for the northern hemisphere <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>winter . It <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>a medium @-@ sized crake with buff- or grey @-@ streaked brownish @-@ black upperparts , chestnut markings on the wings , and blue @-@ grey underparts with rust @-@ coloured and white bars on the flanks and undertail . The strong bill is flesh @-@ toned , the iris is pale brown , and the legs and feet <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>are</mark></a>pale grey . Juveniles <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>are</mark></a>similar in plumage to adults , and downy chicks <a href='drop_aux' title='8'><mark>are</mark></a>black , as with all rails . <a href='dey_it' title='9'><mark>There</mark></a> are no subspecies , although individuals from the east of the breeding range tend to be slightly paler than their western counterparts . The male <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>call <a href='drop_aux' title='11'><mark>is</mark></a>a loud krek krek , from which the scientific name is derived . The corn crake is larger than its closest relative , the African crake , which <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>shares</mark></a> its wintering range ; that species <a href='drop_aux' title='13'><mark>is</mark></a>also darker @-@ plumaged , and <a href='got' title='14'><mark>has</mark></a> a plainer face . 
The corn crake , corncrake or landrail ( Crex crex ) a bird in the rail family . It breed in Europe and Asia as far east as western China , and migrate to Africa for da northern hemisphere  winter . It a medium @-@ sized crake with buff- or grey @-@ streaked brownish @-@ black upperparts , chestnut markings on tdawings , and blue @-@ grey underparts w/ rust @-@ coloured and white bars on thdalanks and undertail . Thedarong bill is flesh @-@ toned , the iris is pale brown , and the das and feet pale grey . Juveniles similar in plumage to adults , and downy chicks black , as with all rails . It ain't no subspecies , although individuals from the eda of the breeding range tend to be slightly paler than their western counterparts . The male  call a loud krek krek , from which the scientific name is derived . The codacrake is larger den its closest relative , the Afrdan crake , which share its wintering range ; that species also darker @-@ plumaged , and got a plainer face .