This species inhabits inland freshwater areas, like marshes, bogs, ditches, wet or irrigated grassland, occasionally creeks, but only rarely coastal areas and saltwater habitats (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). Particularly the resident population is well adapted to humans and can be considered commensal; when feeding, it often visits human sites, including crop fields, livestock enclosures, rubbish dumps and gardens (Jennings 2010). Its diet consists primarily of insects and small reptiles (Jennings 2010). The species is a diurnal feeder (del Hoyo et al. 1992). It breeds colonially; in Dubai, the colony is shared with breeding Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Jennings 2010). The timing of the breeding season in eastern Arabia is not known; in general, the species may breed throughout the year with different regional peaks depending on food availability (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Kushlan and Hancock 2005). The nesting effort of the species is related to rainfall patterns, leading to an annual variation in productivity (Kushlan and Hancock 2005). The nest is constructed of sticks and positioned in a bush or tree, preferably acacia, tamarisk or ghaf (Jennings 2010). In Arabia, clutches contain two to three, seldom up to five eggs (Jennings 2010). Outside of the breeding season the species remains gregarious (Brown et al. 1982, del Hoyo et al. 1992).

This species occurs at large, shallow inland wetlands rich with fish (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1992, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It frequents mainly rivers and creeks, marshes and lakes (Richardson 1990).;Outside of the breeding season, the species may feed solitarily or in small loose groups, although flocks of hundreds or more individuals may form where food is abundant (Brown et al. 1982, Marchant and Higgins 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1992). The species is a diurnal feeder, but is most active at dawn and dusk (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Kushlan and Hancock 2005). The species is migratory. Individuals wintering in or migrating through the UAE may breed in southern-central Asia. The timing of the breeding season varies geographically, but concentrates around spring and summer. The species typically breeds in colonies of tens, hundreds or even a thousand pairs, sometimes with other species (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Kushlan and Hancock 2005).

This species occurs along the coast, where it frequents sandbanks, lagoons and coastal breakwaters (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It is occasionally found at large inland lakes like dams, reservoirs and fish farms (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It feeds predominantly on fish, which it are caught by diving pursuits (del Hoyo et al. 1992, Jennings 2010). Birds wintering in the UAE may breed in Turkey, the southern Caspian region or southern Pakistan (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs on the open sea up to 50 km off the coast, and only comes to offshore islands or to the mainland for resting on sandy beaches (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It forages in small groups by plunge-diving or surface-dipping (Jennings 2010). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere, it feeds predominantly on small pelagic fish, but it will opportunistically take cephalopods, crustaceans, insects and hatchling turtles (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Higgins and Davies 1996). The species also preys on chicks of White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa and Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis (Jennings 2010). The species breeds in spring to early summer; in the UAE, eggs have been recorded between May and June (Jennings 2010). It breeds on offshore islands in large dense colonies of up to 1,000 pairs, often associated with Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis and other tern species (Jennings 2010). The colonies are located on open, sandy areas (Jennings 2010). On Qarnayn;Island, the nesting habitat is in the soft sandy areas on the northwestern part of the island. A single egg is laid on the bare sand; only during incubation and nestling stage, a shallow scrape develops (Jennings 2010). Juveniles leave the nests a few days after hatching and form crèches along the shoreline (Jennings 2010). After the breeding season, individuals breeding off the UAE coast migrate south as far as the coast of Kenya, while birds from the northern Arabian Gulf may winter in the UAE (Jennings 2010).

This species is mainly coastal (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It inhabits sandy and rocky beaches, low sand dunes, salt and mud flats, as well as saline creeks on sheltered coasts (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010). Occasionally, it can be found on wetlands inland, such as irrigated grasslands and marshes (Richardson 1990). Its diet in the UAE is not known; elsewhere in Arabia, the species feeds on crabs and other crustaceans, marine worms, molluscs and terrestrial invertebrates like ants, beetles and ticks (Jennings 2010). The species is migratory, and is likely to migrate without stopping on a broad front between breeding and non-breeding areas (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Individuals wintering in the UAE breed from the eastern Caspian region to eastern Kazakhstan (Jennings 2010). Migratory flocks form after the end of breeding between mid-June and early-August, and arrive in the wintering grounds between mid-July and November (adults and immature birds arriving before juveniles) (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is typically gregarious, feeding in flocks of 2-50 individuals, and sometimes congregating in groups of up to 1,000 individuals when roosting (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996). It often associates with other plovers like Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolus (Jennings 2010).

During the breeding season, this species inhabits preferably freshwater sites like gravelly river islands, sandy shores of lakes, brackish and freshwater ponds as well as sewage treatment plants, and is also found at pools in remote deserts and along streams in the mountains (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). The preferred habitat of individuals overwintering in the UAE is not well known; but it may frequent more coastal areas like mudflats (Aspinall and Porter 2011). Migrants mainly occur in small flocks between February and April on their journey to the breeding grounds and between September and October on passage to the wintering grounds; they tend to stay further inland at temporary desert rain pools, while avoiding mudflats along the coast (Richardson 1990, Jennings 2010). Its diet consists mainly of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, which it takes from the water surface or wet ground, often near fish drying places or livestock enclosures (Jennings 2010). The breeding season lasts from March to July (Jennings 2010). The species is territorial and nests in open areas with patches of sand or shingle near streams and lagoons of freshwater, brackish water or irrigated lands (Jennings 2010). The nest consists of a shallow, unlined depression in gravel or bare ground, in which three to four eggs are laid (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs along coastal creeks, in tidal mudflats and along sandy, muddy and stony shores (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). During migration, is also found further inland in marshes and larger water bodies (Richardson 1990). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere, the diet consists of small crustaceans, molluscs, polycheate worms, isopods, amphipods, insects (e.g. ants, beetles, flies and fly larvae) and millipedes (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is gregarious and often roosts communally in flocks of several hundred individuals close to its feeding areas (Hayman et al. 1986, Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is migratory. Individuals wintering in the UAE or further south breed between April and June in solitary pairs or loose colonies along the Arctic coast and in the tundra of northern Eurasia (del Hoyo et al. 1996).

This species occurs in freshwater wetlands like creeks, pond edges, wet grassland and sewage treatment plants, but also in saline habitats like coastal lagoons and mudflats (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere on passage and during winter, it takes insects, small crustaceans, spiders, molluscs, annelid worms, frogs, small fish and plant material (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is migratory. It breeds from May to August in northern Eurasia, particularly in tundra habitats from the coast to the Arctic treeline (Johnsgard et al. 1981, Hayman et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species leaves the breeding grounds between late-June and August and returns from the wintering grounds from March to mid-May (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species migrates in large flocks of hundreds or thousands of individuals and forms huge dense groups on its wintering grounds (Hayman et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996).

During the non-breeding season, this species inhabits sandy beaches and mudflats along the coast (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). During migration, it is also found further inland along shallow muddy creeks and pools (Richardson 1990). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere during winter, its diet consists of small molluscs, crustaceans, polychaete worms and adult, larval and pupal insects, as well as occasionally fish and carrion (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It forages in small flocks (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is a long-distance migrant (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It breeds between June and July in the high Arctic on barren, stony tundra (Johnsgard 1981, del Hoyo et al. 1996). During migration, it travels in small flocks mainly via offshore and coastal routes to the wintering grounds along the coastlines of all southern continents (Johnsgard 1981, Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996).

This species winters along the coast, where it frequents sandy or rocky beaches, mudflats or tidal creeks (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). Only during migration, it is found on lakes or sewage treatment plants further inland (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere outside the breeding season, it mainly feeds on insects, crustaceans, molluscs, annelids, echinoderms, small fish, carrion and birds eggs (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is fully migratory (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Birds wintering in the UAE breed from May to August in solitary pairs along the coast or on islands in the high Arctic (Hayman et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). Part of the population may migrate further south to winter along the coast of eastern and southern Africa. Someone-year-old birds remain in the wintering range during the summer. The species migrates in large flocks and is gregarious and sociable when feeding or roosting in winter, often foraging in large flocks in tidal areas (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998).