Albania (B) (P), Algeria, Angola, Armenia (B), Austria (P), Azerbaijan (B), Bahrain, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B), Botswana, Bulgaria (B) (P), Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Côte dIvoire, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (B) (P), Cyprus (P), Czech Republic, Djibouti, Egypt (B), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France (B) (P), Gabon, Gambia, Georgia (B) (P), Germany (B), Ghana, Greece (B) (P), Guinea, Guinea-bissau (B), Hungary (B), Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B) (P), Iraq (B) (NB) (P), Israel (P), Italy (B) (NB) (P), Jordan (B) (P), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (B), Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mayotte, Moldova [Republic of] (B), Montenegro (B) (P), Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Portugal (B), Qatar, Romania (B) (P), Russia (European) (B), Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia (B) (P), Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (B), Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa (B), Spain (B) (NB) (P), Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania [United Republic of], Togo, Tunisia, Turkey (B) (P), Turkmenistan (B), Uganda, Ukraine (B), United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan (B), Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia (B), Zimbabwe.
Vagrant to Afghanistan, Belgium, Cape Verde, Denmark, Finland, Gibraltar, Iceland, Ireland, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Netherlands Antilles, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom.
South-western and central Europe eastwards to region of Aral Sea and south-eastern Iran; also Africa northern and south of Sahara, Madagascar.
Population
Estimated population is 370,000 - 780,000 (2010).
Status LC
Habitat loss and degradation of natural and man-made freshwater habitats and wet woodlands are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Fish, amphibians, aquatic insects.
Voice
During breeding season, harsh croaks. Otherwise 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