 Corn crakes were first described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 as Rallus crex , but was subsequently moved to the genus Crex , created by German naturalist and ornithologist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803 , and named Crex pratensis . The earlier use of crex gives it priority over Bechstein 's specific name pratensis , and leads to the current name of Crex crex . The binomial name , Crex crex , from the Ancient Greek " κρεξ " , is onomatopoeic , referring to the crake 's repetitive grating call . The common name was formerly spelt as a single word , " corncrake " , but the official version is now " corn crake " . The English names refer to the species habit of nesting in dry hay or cereal fields , rather than marshes used by most members of this family . 
 Corn crakes <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> first described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 as Rallus crex , but was subsequently moved to the genus Crex , created by German naturalist and ornithologist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803 , and named Crex pratensis . The earlier use of crex <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>gives</mark></a> it priority over Bechstein <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>specific name pratensis , and <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>leads</mark></a> to the current name of Crex crex . The binomial name , Crex crex , from the Ancient Greek " κρεξ " , <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>onomatopoeic , referring to the crake <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>repetitive grating call . The common name was formerly spelt as a single word , " corncrake " , but the official version <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>is</mark></a>now " corn crake " . The English names refer to the species habit of nesting in dry hay or cereal fields , rather than marshes used by most members of this family . 
Corn crakes was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 as Rallus crex , but was subsequently moved to the genus Crex , created by German naturalist and ornithologist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803 , and named Crex pratensis . da earlier use of crex give it priority over Bechstein  specific name pratensis , and lead to the current name of Crex crex . Tdabinomial name , Crex crex , from the Ancient Greek " κρεξ " , onomatopoeic , referring to the crake  repetitive grating call . Thdaommon name was formerly spelt as a single word , " corncrake " , but thedaficial version now " corn crake " . The English names refer to the species habit of nesting in dry hay or cereal fields , rather than marshes used by most members of dis family .