The corncrake has declined from widespread across the UK to a remnant population in the Scottish islands, where traditional crofting practices maintain the late-cut hay meadows they require.
Corncrakes caught by early hay cutting machinery experience traumatic injury. Nests destroyed by cutting kill eggs and chicks. The combination of cutting and predator pressure means that timing of cutting is critical to individual bird welfare outcomes. Payments to crofters that allow late cutting directly prevent mass welfare incidents during each breeding season.