Albania (P), Angola (NB), Armenia (P), Azerbaijan (P), Belarus (B), Benin (NB), Bosnia and Herzegovina (P), Bulgaria (NB), Burkina Faso (NB), Burundi (NB), Cameroon (NB), Central African Republic (NB) (P), Chad (NB), Congo [The Democratic Republic of the] (NB), Congo [The Democratic Republic of the] (NB), Côte dIvoire (NB), Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska), Cyprus (P), Czech Republic (P), Denmark (P), Egypt (P), Eritrea (P), Estonia (B), Ethiopia (NB) (P), Finland (B), France (P), Gabon (NB), Georgia (P), Germany (B) (P), Ghana (NB), Greece (NB) (P), Guinea (B) (NB), Guinea-bissau (B) (NB), Hungary (P), Iran [Islamic Republic of] (P), Iraq (P), Israel (P), Italy (NB) (P), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya (NB) (P), Kyrgyzstan (P), Latvia (B), Lebanon (P), Liberia (NB), Lithuania (B), Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (NB), Malawi (NB), Mali (NB), Malta (P), Mauritania (NB), Moldova [Republic of] (NB) (P), Montenegro (P), Mozambique (NB), Namibia (NB), Nigeria (NB), Norway (B) (P), Oman (P), Poland (B), Romania (NB) (P), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B), Russia (European) (B) (P), Rwanda (NB), Saudi Arabia (P), Senegal (NB), Serbia (P), Sierra Leone (NB), Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (P), Slovenia (P), South Africa (NB), Sudan (NB), Sweden (B) (P), Tanzania [United Republic of] (NB), Togo (NB), Tunisia (P), Turkey (P), Turkmenistan (P), Uganda (NB), Ukraine (B) (P), United Arab Emirates (P), Uzbekistan (P), Zambia (NB), Zimbabwe (NB).
Vagrant to Algeria, Bahrain, Belgium, Botswana (NB), British Indian Ocean Territory, Gambia (NB), India, Ireland, Jordan, Kuwait, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands Antilles (E), Palestinian Authority Territories (P), Portugal, Qatar (P), Seychelles, Somalia (NB), Spain, Sri Lanka (NB), Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Syrian Arab Republic (P), United Kingdom, Yemen (P).
Unknown to Afghanistan.
Scandinavia east through Baltic states, Poland and western Russia to R Yenisey. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 500,000 - 1,050,000 (2010).
Status NT
Habitat loss due to conversion to intensive agriculture, wetland drainage and the submergence of river valleys during the creation of reservoirs, are the main threats. Hunting may also be a threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Terrestrial invertebrates including earthworms.
Voice
A soft 'itch' call and a chirping display call througout its territory. Otherwise mostly silent.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet