This species is often associated with man, living around buildings from isolated farms to villages and urban centres, though it also colonizes isolated areas far away from human population. It has been expanding its range in Arabia by using human developments like villages, farms, plantations or even petrol stops as dispersal corridors (Jennings 2010). The availability of water is crucial for the species (Jennings 2010). The diet is mainly vegetable material, particularly seeds of grasses and green shoots, cultivated cereals and low herbs, but also fruits, such as dates and berries, and wide range of household scraps (Summers-Smith et al. 2015). It also feeds on invertebrates, such as moths, caterpillars and ants (Jennings 2010). It forages mainly on the ground or in low vegetation. It shows a wide variety of foraging techniques, from hovering flights to pick items from leaves, to running and hopping or aerial pursuits in search for insect prey (Jennings 2010). It nests colonially, sometimes together with other species (e.g. Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis, although P. hispaniolensis is now possibly extinct as a breeding species within the UAE). Nests are constructed mainly of plant stems, lined with feathers or other soft material. They can be placed almost anywhere, e.g. in a hole in a building, in a cliff or in a tree (Jennings 2010, Summers-Smith et al. 2015). While breeding has been observed year-round, the main period lasts from May to June (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs over open country and wetlands, including cultivations, parks or sewage treatment plants (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available about its feeding habits in the UAE; elsewhere it forages approximately 15 m above ground, feeding mainly on insects and spiders (Tucker and Heath 1994, Turner 2004). The species is migratory; it breeds between late April and August in Eurasia (Tucker and Heath 1994).

During migration and winter, it is found in semi-desert plains (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). During the breeding season, it favours lush vegetation, like cultivated and irrigated zones which experienced above average rainfall during the previous winter (Jennings 2010). During migration, it can form flocks of up to 5,000 individuals, which cross the country in April and August-November (Jennings 2010, Pedersen et al. 2017). It feeds on the ground and in low vegetation. There is no information available on its diet in the UAE, but elsewhere it feeds mainly on invertebrates, supplementing them with seeds and the green parts of plants (Jennings 2010). Little is known about its breeding biology in the UAE and Arabian Peninsula. The breeding period may last from March to June (Jennings 2010). Elsewhere, the nest is built by the female, of grasses, rootlets and similar vegetation, lined with softer material and placed in a shallow scrape on the ground, usually beside a shrub or grass tuft. It often has a small rampart of sticks or stones. Clutch size is about three eggs in Arabia (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs in dry habitats with open wooded and thorn scrub areas (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). Sparse and low vegetation is an important habitat characteristic for this species (Yosef and International Shrike Working Group 2016). It generally avoids narrow, enclosed areas such as wadis and hillsides, as well as cities (Jennings 2010). It prefers the same habitat type both during the breeding and the non-breeding season (Jennings 2010). It is closely associated with acacia scrub and only occurs where acacia is present (Jennings 2010). The species is a highly opportunistic feeder; it feeds principally on large insects and on small vertebrates such as rodents, particularly voles, but also small birds, lizards, amphibians and snakes (Lefranc and Worfolk 1997, Jennings 2010). Large items are broken down to transport and to swallow (Jennings 2010). Surplus food is stored on the thorns of acacia or other thorny plants, which are used as larders (Jennings 2010). The breeding period peaks in March to May, but breeding may start as early as November (Jennings 2010). The nest is an untidy structure with a loose foundation of twigs, grass, rootlets, string, lined with rootlets, feathers and hair. It is generally placed high above ground in a fork or on a lateral branch of a thorny bush or tree with thick foliage, preferably acacia (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain three to four, occasionally up to six eggs (Jennings 2010). In the UAE, up to three broods per season have been recorded (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs in a variety of open habitats, including high and low grasslands, scrubland, cultivated fields, golf courses and large parks (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It avoids deserts (Richardson 1990). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere during winter, it is primarily herbivorous and feeds on seeds and other plant material (Donald and Garcia 2014). During winter, it forms flocks of more than 20 individuals (Richardson 1990). The species is migratory and breeds from late March to August and September throughout Eurasia.

There is no information available on the habitat requirements and ecology of this species in the UAE. In Oman, it occurs in rocky wadis with scattered trees, surrounded by cliffs and steep mountain slopes (Robb et al. 2013). It is likely that is requires cliffs for nesting (Robb et al. 2013).

This species inhabits all kinds of permanent wetland sites (Jennings 2010). It particularly prefers freshwater marshy pools and lakes with abundant vegetation cover along the borders, floating and emergent vegetation, dense reeds and wet bushy areas near watercourses offering abundant hiding places (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011, R. Khan pers. comm.). Occasionally, it occurs in eutrophic water near dump sites, in saline habitats or mangroves. Recently, populations became established in artificial waterbodies (S. Alam (Dubai Municipality) pers. comm. 2019, R. Khan (Dubai Safari, Dubai Municipality) pers. comm. 2019). When foraging, it may venture into open water or dry habitats, such as crop fields and gardens near wetlands (Jennings 2010). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere it is omnivorous and opportunistic, its diet consisting of earthworms, crustaceans, molluscs, insects, spiders, small fish, tadpoles and occasionally birds eggs, as well as plant matter such as filamentous algae, moss and the vegetative parts of reeds and aquatic plants, as well as berries and fruits (del Hoyo et al. 1996). While the species forms small flocks during the non-breeding season, it becomes territorial and aggressive with the onset of the breeding season in early spring. The breeding season is very long; eggs have been recorded from January in the UAE until August on the Saudi Arabian coast of the Arabian Gulf, the majority of chicks have been observed between April and July (Jennings 2010). The nest is a bulky cup constructed from twigs and waterside vegetation, which is placed on floating or partially submerged objects on water, in reed beds or adjacent to water (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). Clutches contain around eight, seldom up to 13 eggs (Jennings 2010). Part of the population in the UAE is migratory; individuals breed from eastern Europe to central Asia and move south towards the UAE or from September to December and return again from March to May (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010).

This species occurs along sheltered coasts and is only rarely found at sea or far from land (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It inhabits a variety of habitats along the coast, including bays, mudflats, coastal creeks, brackish lagoons and mangroves, and further inland, including fish farms, sewage treatment plants, rubbish dumps and well-vegetated sites (Jennings 2010). It is largely insectivorous and takes terrestrial and aquatic insects or molluscs, which it catches from surface water, on the ground or during flight (Jennings 2010). The species is migratory, dispersing widely after breeding before travelling southwards to the wintering grounds (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The population migrating through or wintering in the UAE breeds from Europe to central Asia and winters in Africa, the Middle East and India (Jennings 2010).

There is no information available about the species's ecology and habitat requirements in the UAE; the following information comes from elsewhere in Arabia and Africa, but likely also applies to the population in the UAE. The species inhabits well-vegetated, wooded wadis and is often found near human sites (Jennings 2010). It feeds mainly on invertebrates like beetles, mantids and grasshoppers, but likely takes also small birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, molluscs and crustaceans, which are captured by pouncing from perches or searching on the ground (Jennings 2010). The species is entirely nocturnal; during the day it retreats to rocks, bushes and palm trees (Jennings 2010). Pairs remain together for life (Jennings 2010). The breeding period lasts from March to June or July (Jennings 2010). Nests are placed in scrapes on the ground, in crevices in rocks or cliffs, or in holes in a tree or building (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain two to four eggs (Jennings 2010).

This species is mainly found in forests, on mountains and on cliffs, but also on marshes and waste land (Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE, but elsewhere birds make up most of the diet, principally pigeons and doves (del Hoyo et al. 1994). The species is highly migratory, particularly populations breeding in the temperate and Arctic parts of its range, and birds passing though or wintering in the UAE likely breed in northern Europe and Russia (Richardson 1990). Migrating birds leave their breeding sites between August and November, and return between March and May (Snow and Perrins 1998). Migrants readily fly over expanses of sea and ocean. Most birds travel singly or in pairs, even on migration (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001).