This species is uncommon. It inhabits inland wetlands and freshwater bodies (up to 600m) of India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, and Thailand. It mainly forages on fish, crustaceans, and insects (BirdLife International 2016).

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 and its current population size is unknown. The threats to its persistence come from breeding habitat disturbance due to flooding and other human encroachments, flooding and, predator attacks (BirdLife International 2016).