Afghanistan (NB), Albania (B) (NB), Algeria, Armenia (B) (NB), Austria (B) (NB) (P), Azerbaijan (B) (NB), Bangladesh, Belarus (B) (NB) (P), Belgium (B) (NB) (P), Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria (B) (NB), China (mainland), Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (B) (NB), Cyprus (NB), Czech Republic (B) (NB) (P), Denmark (B) (NB) (P), Estonia (B) (NB) (P), Faroe Islands (B) (NB), Finland (B) (P), France (B) (NB) (P), Georgia, Germany (B) (NB) (P), Greece (B) (NB) (P), Hungary (B) (NB) (P), Iceland (B) (NB), India, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (NB), Iraq (B) (NB), Ireland (B) (NB), Israel, Italy (B) (NB), Japan, Jordan (NB), Kazakhstan (B), Kyrgyzstan (B), Laos, Latvia (B) (NB), Lithuania (B) (NB) (P), Luxembourg, Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (B) (NB), Malta, Moldova [Republic of] (B) (NB) (P), Mongolia (B), Montenegro (B) (NB), Morocco, Myanmar (NB), Nepal, Netherlands Antilles (B) (NB), Norway (B) (NB) (P), Pakistan, Poland (B) (NB) (P), Portugal (NB), Qatar, Romania (B) (NB) (P), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B) (P), Russia (European) (B) (NB) (P), Serbia (B) (NB), Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (B) (NB) (P), Slovenia (NB) (P), South Korea, Spain (NB) (P), Sri Lanka, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (B), Sweden (B) (NB) (P), Switzerland (B) (NB), Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tunisia (NB), Turkey (B) (NB) (P), Turkmenistan (B), Ukraine (B) (NB) (P), United Arab Emirates (NB), United Kingdom (B) (NB) (P), Uzbekistan (B), Vietnam.
Vagrant to Bahrain, Egypt, Gibraltar, Hong Kong (China), Kuwait, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Thailand.
Introduced to Argentina, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (B).
Population
Estimated population is 1,000,000 - 1,100,000 (2010).
Status LC
Destruction and degradation of wetland habitats due to drainage, conversion to agriculture, pollution, peat-extraction, changing wetland management practices, the burning and mowing of reeds, and hunting are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
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