During the non-breeding season, this species inhabits fish-rich sea-coasts, wintering on beaches and in harbours (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998, Olsen and Larsson 2003, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It may also occur inland on beaches of major rivers, lakes and reservoirs, or at fish ponds and refuse dumps (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998, Olsen and Larsson 2003, Aspinall and Porter 2011).There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; generally, it is omnivorous, although its diet is dominated by animal material (Snow and Perrins 1998). Elsewhere, it chiefly feeds on fish, crustaceans, insects and small mammals, less often taking birds and their eggs, reptiles, and seeds (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). Outside of the breeding season, the species usually remains solitary or in small parties of a few individuals, although it may roost gregariously and will aggregate into large groups where fish are abundant (Urban et al. 1986, Snow and Perrins 1998). The species is fully migratory; it arrives on the breeding grounds in central Asia in March and breeds from April in large colonies (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). One individual sighted in February 2012 at Khor Kalba (Sharjah Emirate) had been ringed in July 2010 at Lake Bolshie Chany near Novosibirsk, Russia (Pedersen et al. 2017).;;