2012, une année à Marouettes de Baillon en Europe de l’Ouest

The Baillon’s Crake Zapornia pusilla is a small member of the family Rallidae. It is a scarce migrant and breeder in Europe, with  its main stronghold being in Russia and further East across Asia. It breeds in wet, low, tussocky but often open vegetation such as flooded sedges, rushes and grasses. It used to breed more largely in Western Europe in the past and declined drastically through drainage. But this spring 2012 was particular : the number of singing birds in several western countries (including the Netherlands, the United-Kingdown, and even France)  was larger than during a normal year : for example, up to 21 birds were heard in the same location near Groningen (the Netherlands) and nine birds were found in Britain and Wales during a national survey of the Spotted Crake.
In this article, we propose you a synthesis of this influx and we speak about the possible explanations for this phenomenon.