Behaviour This species makes irregular migratory, partially migratory or nomadic movements within Africa^{1, 4} to areas where changing water levels increase fish availability⁴. Some populations are also largely sedentary¹. Breeding is seasonal and starts whenever food is most abundant according to local ecological conditions (e.g. when fish become concentrated in small wetlands or marshes)², this may either be towards the end of the rains or during the dry season¹. The species breeds colonially, often with other species^{1, 3}, usually in small groups of 10-20 pairs³ (exceptionally as many as 50 pairs)². It is a gregarious species but never aggregates into very large flocks³, being more often observed in pairs or small flocks of up to 50 individuals⁴. At night it forms communal roosts in favoured roosting sites (e.g. sandbanks or trees), which may attract individuals from a wide area³. Habitat The species inhabits a variety of wetlands¹ with shallow water 10-40 cm deep for feeding² and sandbanks or trees for roosting¹. It frequents large swamps, the margins of rivers and lakes, lagoons¹, large marshes, small pools², flooded grassland⁴, alkaline lakes, reservoirs, waterholes and rice-paddies¹, less commonly foraging on marine mudflats¹, in tidal pools along beaches² or in estuaries⁴. The species generally avoids areas of large-scale flooding and is rare in forested areas (although it may occur in wooded savanna)¹. Diet Its diet consists of small aquatic prey such as frogs, small fish¹, aquatic insects, worms, crustaceans and occasionally small mammals and birds². Breeding site The nest is constructed of sticks¹ and is positioned in small trees over water or high up in larger trees on dry land² (e.g. Accacia spp., Bombax spp.¹ or baobabs³). The species nests colonially in single- or mixed-species groups¹ with up to 10-20 pairs per tree³ (occasionally up to 50 pairs)², neighbouring nests usually spaced 1-3 m apart⁴.

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