Afghanistan (P), Albania (B), Algeria, Angola, Armenia (B) (NB), Austria (B), Azerbaijan (B) (NB), Bahrain (NB) (P), Bangladesh, Belarus (B), Belgium (B) (NB), Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B), Botswana, Bulgaria (B) (NB) (P), Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China (mainland), Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Côte dIvoire, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (B), Cyprus (P), Czech Republic (B) (NB), Denmark (B) (P), Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia (B), Ethiopia, France (B) (NB) (P), Gabon, Georgia, Germany (B), Ghana, Gibraltar (P), Greece (B) (NB) (P), Guinea, Guinea-bissau, Hungary (B) (P), India, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B) (NB), Iraq (B) (NB), Israel (B) (NB) (P), Italy (B) (NB) (P), Jordan (P), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan (B), Latvia (B) (NB), Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania (B), Luxembourg, Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (B) (NB) (P), Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova [Republic of] (B) (P), Montenegro (B) (P), Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles (B) (NB), Niger, Nigeria, Oman (P), Pakistan, Poland (B) (NB), Portugal (B) (NB), Qatar, Romania (B) (NB) (P), Russia (European) (B) (P), Rwanda, Saudi Arabia (NB), Senegal, Serbia (B) (P), Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (B) (NB), Slovenia (B) (NB), Somalia, South Africa, Spain (B) (NB) (P), Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden (B), Switzerland (B) (NB), Syrian Arab Republic (B) (NB) (P), Tajikistan (B), Tanzania [United Republic of], Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey (B) (NB) (P), Turkmenistan (B), Uganda, Ukraine (B) (NB) (P), United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan (B), Western Sahara, Yemen (NB) (P), Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Vagrant to Antigua And Barbuda, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Finland, Gambia, Iceland, Ireland, Liberia, Norway, Russia (Central Asian), Sâo Tomé e Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St Helena, United Kingdom.
Population
Estimated population is 500,000 - 520,000 (2010).
Status LC
Habitat alteration, conversion of foraging areas, development, industrialisation and intensification of agriculture, loss of roof-top nesting sites on modern buildings, hunting are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Fish, frogs, small mammals and insects.
Voice
Mostly silent, but a loud, non-vocal billing-clapping at nesting sites.
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