corn crake

noun

a short-billed Eurasian rail, Crex crex, frequenting grainfields.

Origin of corn crake

First recorded in 1545–55

Also called land rail.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for corncrake

Historical Examples of corncrake

Only the sharp cry of the corncrake broke the solemnity of the night.
The Northern Iron
George A. Birmingham
The water-rail, and corncrake or land-rail, are also allied to the Gallinules.
Bible Animals;
J. G. Wood
The hay harvest in July is a cause of much disturbance to the Corncrake.
Among the Birds in Northern Shires
Charles Dixon
I'm all alone here except for my swallow and cuckoo and corncrake.
The King of Ireland's Son
Padraic Colum
Now he never goes across the sea at all, and do you see the corncrake?
The King of Ireland's Son
Padraic Colum

British Dictionary definitions for corncrake

corncrake

noun

a common Eurasian rail, Crex crex, of fields and meadows, with a buff speckled plumage and reddish wings

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012