Habitat
Areas with a combination of tall trees for nesting and roosting, wetlands or agricultural land for feeding. Winters below 700 m and moves to higher elevations of up to 1,200 m during the breeding season.
China (mainland) (B) (NB), Japan (E) (B) (NB), North Korea (E), Russia (Asian) (E) (B) (NB), South Korea (E) (NB), Taiwan (China) (E).
Once widespread in north-eastern Asia and Japan, wintering south to Hainan, range now much reduced; only known population in Quinling Mts, Shaanxi Province, north-eastern China.
Population
Estimated population is 50 - 249 (2010) and increasing.
Status EN
Deforestation of woodlands used for nesting, over-hunting and loss of wetlands, as well as the use of agrochemicals in rice-paddies, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Crabs, frogs, small fish (particularly loach), river snails, other molluscs and beetles.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet