Very common migrant to lagoons and coastal
marshes and tanks of dry zone especially in Northern and South-eastern part of
the country. Sometimes it occurs in flocks of many hundreds. It feeds by
up-ending in shallow waters of lagoons. And during night it flies to the paddy
fields to feed on grains and aquatic animals. Eventhough it is said that it feeds during
night and roost on sandbanks or on the water of lagoons well out in the middle during
day time (Henry 1998 3rd Edition & Kotagama & Rathnaveera 2010) I have observed in Vankalai sanctuary
of Mannar that it is feeding even during dawn till 8-9 am and again in dusk. Probably due to the prevailing safe situation there around army camp where hunting of them is impossible.
