- Lifespan
- 12–15 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 21–24 cm, wingspan 32–35 cm; 50–90 g
- Habitat
- Freshwater wetlands, inland marshes, ditches, flooded meadows, and around gravel pits and reservoirs, particularly where there is muddy substrate.
- UK Distribution
- Winter visitor and passage migrant found throughout the UK from August to April; rare but increasing breeder in Scotland and northern England.
- Diet
- Feeds on small invertebrates including aquatic insects, insect larvae, small crustaceans, and occasionally small fish, gleaned from shallow water and mud.
- Prey
- Aquatic insect larvae, small amphipods, chironomid larvae, and other aquatic invertebrates
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, peregrines, foxes, and occasionally herons; eggs and chicks taken by corvids and weasels
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4 eggs; incubation period approximately 20–21 days; single brood per season; uses old nests of other birds, particularly thrushes, in trees
- Behaviour
- Solitary or in small groups, often bobbing and twitching when disturbed. Characteristically flies with white rump and dark wings, and frequently calls in flight with a distinctive 'tchu-it-it' note. Generally wary and favours secluded wetland habitats.