The corncrake, once common across UK meadows, is now restricted to Scottish islands and Ireland where traditional farming practices persist.
Corncrake welfare was catastrophically affected by the shift from hand-cutting to mechanised hay harvesting. Mechanical cutters starting from the centre of fields trapped and killed birds unable to escape, causing traumatic mortality at massive scale during the 20th century decline. The individual welfare of corncrakes in managed areas now depends on landowners following corncrake-friendly cutting regimes. Cutting from the outside inward at slow speeds allows birds to escape, directly reducing individual injury and mortality during harvest.