The species occupies various types of open coastal and inland water-fringed habitats, breeding on bare or sparsely vegetated beaches and dunes, islands, banks, flats, salt-marshes, saltpans etc (Molina et al. 2020). Globally distributed across the middle latitudes of all continents. Apart from a small population by the North Sea, most European populations are located in the Mediterranean/ Black Sea region and SW Russia. European strongholds are in Spain & Ukraine (Keller et al. 2020).
Eurasian-African/Asian migrant. European populations winter largely in Africa.
Its population trend in Europe is increasing. Evaluated as “Least Concern” (BirdLife International 2021).