Least Concern

Length: ~ 78-97 cm 
Wingspan: ~ 120-152 cm 
Weight: approx 0.5 to 1.35 kg depending on age/sex/location

Tropic‐Asian and African populations are mostly resident (nonmigratory) 
Populations in temperate/breeding range (Europe, central Asia) are migratory: migrate from breeding grounds after season

Winters in warmer regions within its range; migratory populations move towards Africa, southern Asia in non-breeding season

In India / South Asia: roughly April to June
In Europe/temperate zones: spring (around March-May) depending on local climate

Nests are platforms made of reeds or sticks; built over or beside water, usually in dense reedbeds, sometimes in trees/thickets when reed habitat is less available. Nest height can range up to ~ 25 m when in trees, or 3-4 m in thickets/mangroves.
Clutch size typically 3-5 eggs (range about 2-6)

Dense, flooded, freshwater reedbeds (e.g. Phragmites), and also Typha, Scirpus, papyrus swamps. Uses lake shores, river margins, canals, ditches, rice fields, brackish lagoons, mangroves, and coastal mudflats. Elevation range from sea level up to ~ 1800 m.

Primarily fish (5-15 cm mostly; occasionally up to 55 cm) 
Also eats frogs, insects (beetles, dragonflies, locusts etc.), crustaceans, small mammals, reptiles, occasionally small birds.