Least Concern (LC)

36–42 cm in length; a stocky waterbird with a dark grey-black body, a white bill and a prominent white forehead shield. Its strong legs have large lobed toes for swimming.

Resident and winter migrant in India. Some populations remain year-round, while birds from northern and temperate regions migrate south during winter.

Migratory populations move to southern Asia, including India, during the non-breeding season.

Generally May–June in northern breeding areas; timing varies across its extensive range.

Freshwater wetlands with suitable vegetation, including lakes, ponds and marshes. It builds a nest from reeds and grasses near or over water.

Freshwater lakes, ponds, reservoirs, marshes and slow-moving rivers, sometimes using brackish wetlands.

Omnivorous, feeding mainly on aquatic plants, seeds and shoots, along with insects, worms, molluscs, small fish and occasionally eggs of other waterbirds.