This species is uncommon. It inhabits inland wetlands of hilly areas at high altitudes (2,100m- 4,600m asl). It is an altitudinal migrant that inhabits alpine meadows of India (mainly in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh) and China during its breeding season and for wintering, it nests over the river valleys of Bhutan and Nepal at low altitudes. This species has gone possibly extinct in Vietnam (BirdLife International 2017).

Conservation Status:
 

This species is listed as Vulnerable 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, with the current population size estimated at approximately 6,800 individuals. The threat to its persistence comes from breeding habitat disturbance due to large-scale agriculture and the use of pesticides. Another major threat is illegal poaching of this species (BirdLife International 2001).