The Corncrake (Crex crex) is a globally threatened species, classified by BirdLife International (2004) as a Near Threatened species, and as SPEC-1 ones at the European level (2004). Territory of Ukraine is of great importance for migrating Corncrakes. Location of stopover sites of Corncrakes at the Black Sea coast is unknown (with the exception of the Crimean peninsula). It is known from the reports of conservation organisations that Corncrakes are shot illegally each autumn in great numbers as a by-catch of trapping and shooting of the Quails. Project activity includes an implementation of a questionnaire survey among ornithologists, hunters and bird-watchers residing in the southern regions of Ukraine; a field survey, as well as development of urgent measures for the protection of migrating Corncrakes and public awareness campaign. The goal of the questionnaire survey is to determine the preliminary location of important stopover sites for Corncrake during autumn migration.

Data obtained during questionnaire survey will be used for organising an expedition to the southern regions of Ukraine. The goal of the expedition is to estimate the importance of each site, and to identify main threats for migrating Corncrakes. As the Corncrake is a night migrant, catching will be used to estimate migration intensity on each site. Bird trapping will be conducted with a use of nets installed on potential stopover sites. Urgent measures for the protection of migrating Corncrakes will be developed after the survey completion. These measures aimed at prevention of illegal hunting and at conservation of the areas important for migration. Public awareness campaign will include meetings with local people, leaflet distribution and publication of newspaper articles. Various forms of meetings with local people especially with hunters will be used. Leaflet distribution is another form of enhancing an interest in the Corncrake and drawing attention to the problem of illegal hunting during autumn migration.