| IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): | Least Concern — widespread and locally common across wetlands.
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| Approximate size(adult): | 30–38 cm in length; a medium-sized waterbird with a dark slate-brown body, red frontal shield and bill tipped yellow, and white flank stripes.
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| Resident/ Migrate from: | Partly migratory; birds from colder regions migrate south in winter.
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| Migrate to: | Winters in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and warmer lowland wetlands; resident populations remain year-round.
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| Breeding season: | Usually April to September, depending on climate and water levels.
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| Breed in: | Builds cup-shaped nests hidden in reeds or floating vegetation; clutch typically 5–9 eggs; both parents incubate and care for young.
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| Habitat: | Found in freshwater lakes, ponds, marshes, canals, rice fields, and slow-moving rivers with dense vegetation.
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| Diet: | Omnivorous; feeds on aquatic plants, seeds, algae, along with insects, worms, molluscs, and small fish.
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