1. a small brown bird with a harsh cry that lives in grasslands and grain fields

Examples

• The corncrake’s distinctive call echoed across the meadow at dusk.
• Farmers rarely see corncrakes because they hide in tall grass during the day.
• The corncrake population has declined due to modern farming practices.
• We heard a corncrake calling from the wheat field.
• Corncrakes migrate to Africa for the winter months.
• The bird’s rasping cry sounds like someone running a stick along a comb.