 The corn crake 's breeding habitat is grassland , particularly hayfields , and it uses similar environments on the wintering grounds . This secretive species builds a nest of grass leaves in a hollow in the ground and lays 6 – 14 cream @-@ coloured eggs which are covered with rufous blotches . These hatch in 19 – 20 days , and the black precocial chicks fledge after about five weeks . This crake is in steep decline across much of its former breeding range because modern farming practices often destroy nests before breeding is completed . The corn crake is omnivorous but mainly feeds on invertebrates , the occasional small frog or mammal , and plant material including grass seed and cereal grain . Natural threats include introduced and feral mammals , large birds , various parasites and diseases . 
 The corn crake <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>breeding habitat <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>is</mark></a>grassland , particularly hayfields , and it <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>uses</mark></a> similar environments on the wintering grounds . This secretive species <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>builds</mark></a> a nest of grass <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>leaves</mark></a> in a hollow in the ground and <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>lays</mark></a> 6 – 14 cream @-@ coloured eggs which are covered with rufous blotches . These hatch in 19 – 20 days , and the black precocial chicks fledge after about five weeks . This crake is in steep decline across much of its former breeding range because modern farming practices often destroy nests before breeding is completed . The corn crake <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>is</mark></a>omnivorous but mainly <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>feeds</mark></a> on invertebrates , the occasional small frog or mammal , and plant material including grass seed and cereal grain . Natural threats include introduced and feral mammals , large birds , various parasites and diseases . 
Da corn crake  breeding habitat grassland , particularly hayfields , and it use similar environments on the wintering grounds . This secretive species build a nest of grass leave in a hollow in the ground and lay 6 – 14 cream @-@ coloured eggs which r covered with rufous blotches . These hatch in 19 – 20 dayz , and the black precocial chicks fledge after bout five weeks . This crake is in steep decline across much of its former breeding range bc modern farming practices often destroy nests b4 breeding is completed . The corn crake omnivorous but mainly feed on invertebrates , the occasional small frog or mammal , and plant material including grass seed and cereal grain . Natural threats include introduced and feral mammals , large birds , various parasites and diseases .