Least Concern

About 24–28 cm in length; wingspan around 56–65 cm; weighs roughly 85–110 g

Partly resident and partly migratory depending on region; populations in Europe and temperate Asia migrate after breeding

Winters in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia; many individuals winter across India’s wetlands and coastal regions

Primarily April to July in temperate Asia; varies by region depending on water levels and monsoon cycles

Breeds in colonies on floating vegetation, reed beds, or shallow marshes; builds a floating or semi-floating nest platform; clutch typically 2–3 eggs

Freshwater and brackish wetlands including marshes, lakes, flooded fields, lagoons, and estuaries; during migration and winter also seen over reservoirs and coastal waters

Feeds mainly on small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and occasionally amphibians; hunts by dipping to the water surface or hawking insects in flight