Afghanistan (P), Australia (B), Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (mainland), Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Iraq (NB), Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (NB), Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (B), Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Vietnam.
Vagrant to Bahrain, Iran [Islamic Republic of], Jordan, Maldives, United Arab Emirates.
Population
Estimated population is 130,000 - 1,100,000 (2010).
Status LC
Vulnerable. Populations have been adversely affected by drainage of wetlands or their invasion of introduced weeds, in particular water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, and exotic pond pastures, Echinochloa polystachya and Hymenachne amplexicaulis.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Aquatic animals and plants.
Voice
A shrill 'pee-whit' uttered in flight. Also a descending 'pee-yew', a high-pitched 'whit' and a high-pitched musical trill.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet