This species is uncommon. It inhabits inland wetlands, marshes and lakeshores. It is migratory, breeding in small colonies in Russia, Mongolia, and China during May-June, and wintering in large groups in the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Australia. It mostly feeds on small fish, insects, and worms (BirdLife International 2016).

This species is listed as Near Threatened 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 and its current population size is unknown. The threats to its persistence come from breeding habitat disturbance due to drainage, agricultural practices, hunting, and climate change (BirdLife International 2016).