When wintering in Africa , the corn crake occupies dry grassland and savanna habitats , occurring in vegetation 30 – 200 cm ( 0 @.@ 98 – 6 @.@ 56 ft ) tall , including seasonally burnt areas and occasionally sedges or reed beds . It is also found on fallow and abandoned fields , uncut grass on airfields , and the edges of crops . It occur at up to at least 1 @,@ 750 metres ( 5 @,@ 740 ft ) altitude in South Africa . Each bird stay within a fairly small area . Although it sometimes occur with the African crake , that species normally prefer moister and shorter grassland habitats than do the corn crake . On migration , the corn crake may also occur in wheatfields and around golf courses .