This species is very rare. It inhabits inland wetlands and grasslands with tall vegetation. It is migratory, breeding in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and wintering in India, Nepal, Laos, Singapore, and Malaysia. It is now possibly extinct in Finland. Its migratory route also includes West Europe and the Middle East Asian countries (BirdLife International 2017).

Conservation Status:

This species is listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).


According to the IUCN Red List Assessment, the population of this species is declining, the current population size is unknown. The primary threat to its persistence comes from excessive hunting and trapping along the migratory route and on wintering grounds for food. Another threat is habitat disturbances due to large-scale agriculture (BirdLife International 2017).